


The Dark Rose

by ThirstOrder3987



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy, The Tudors (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Alternate Universe - Time Travel, Alternate Universe - Tudor Era, Castles, Chivalry, Courting Rituals, Courtship, Drama & Romance, Eventual Happy Ending, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/M, Family, Family Feels, Family Issues, Fluff and Angst, Forbidden Love, Happy Ending, Loss, Loss of Parent(s), Romance, Royalty, Single Father Kylo Ren, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Slow Romance, This Is Not Going To Go The Way You Think, Time Travel, Tudor Era
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-17
Updated: 2020-10-01
Packaged: 2021-03-01 22:14:30
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 18
Words: 80,612
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23694469
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThirstOrder3987/pseuds/ThirstOrder3987
Summary: A fusion between fixing the tragedy that exists within Tudor history and a historic Reylo AU. 🦋🌹Rey is a modern time traveler, consumed with love for learning about the history of Tudor England. One trip back in time is thrown into chaos as the portal she travels through is struck by lightning the moment she enters it. The Tudor England of 1526 she wakes to on the other side is wholly different from the one she knows.She soon discovers she has taken a very prominent place in Tudor history. Her next greatest shock comes when she finds the man on the throne is no longer the King Henry VIII she thought she knew, but King Kylo VIII.Just as mysterious as the changes of history is the bond she discovers she shares with the young king, which seems to come alive the moment they lay eyes on each other.
Relationships: Kylo Ren/Rey, Poe Dameron & Armitage Hux, Poe Dameron/Armitage Hux, Rey & Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Rey/Ben Solo, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 113
Kudos: 239





	1. Struck

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey prepares for a trip back in time just like many she’s attempted before. Unfortunately, something happens as she prepares to cross over that has her hoping she survives to see the other side.
> 
> Artist credit for mood board- MirraStupar, maraudersarrive, poethrotsvitha, waterlillyrose

A powerful burst of thunder broke forth from the sky above, shaking Rey Bronson’s ancestral home to very it’s foundations. She looked drearily out the casement windows as sheets of rain pelted the glass.

“Looks like you won’t be heading out this evening!” Her brother Bill teased her. 

As much as she hated to admit it, she knew he was right. Her travels back in time would have to wait for another night, one where the sky wouldn’t electrocute her the moment she stepped outside. 

She checked the weather on her phone for a moment, as if there might be some hope of the storm clearing. Sure enough, the radar told her what she’d already felt in the air- this storm was a beast, and it showed no signs of letting up anytime soon. 

Rey resigned herself to her fate as she thought of what else to do with her evening. Being stuck inside the Tudor manor she’d grown up in wasn’t the worst thing in the world, especially since her sister and brother were in town visiting all week for her father’s birthday. Soon she knew there would be a lively game of cards in the library as was family tradition. It was important to keep such treasured traditions going, even with all that had changed.

Rey was the youngest child of the Bronson household, and the only one who still lived at home. She’d moved back in several months ago and just recently had finally felt like her life had returned to some form of normalcy. 

Two days before graduating college, her world had been thrown into chaos when a drunk driver took her mother’s life. The tragedy immediately had Rey putting her plans to dive right into grad school on hold, moving back in with her father with intention of keeping an eye on him as he dealt with the loss. 

That is, she kept telling herself it was to keep an eye on her father, but the truth of it was she’d had a hard enough time keeping her head above water the past several months. She realized they’d equally needed each other as they dealt with such a severe loss. Her mother had been her hero, the one person she could go to when she felt like the rest of the world had failed her. Not having that constant in her life anymore made it hard to breathe some days. 

The one thing that got her through it all was her father’s collection of texts on the family traditions- ancient knowledge of an old religion that had been hidden as it was passed down through the centuries. Such things had been outlawed as Christianity had come into the country, but the traditions continued on through the ages in the more remote parts of the British Isles. Her family’s specialty was time travel- specifically through a vortex that lay at the crest of their ancestral estate. A stone arch was all that marked the spot that lay at the top of the hill. 

Rey had traveled through time with both her mother and father many times before. In the wake of her mother’s passing, she’d thrown herself into the practice with increased dedication. Escaping from a time that felt unbearable to learn about times she’d never seen helped give her a purpose moving forward. What that purpose was, she wasn’t sure just yet, but she knew there was something the stone archway had to show her that it hadn’t revealed just yet. 

Rey’s favorite era to visit was the time of the Tudor dynasty- one of the most short lived royal houses in English history, and one of the most volatile. Something about a country doing it’s best to heal after generations of civil war and loss felt very familiar in her own turbulent life. 

Rey thought for a moment to join her brother and sister in the library with her father, but something pulled her away. It felt as though her journals upstairs on her journeys through time were calling to her, beckoning her to look over them for something they needed to show her. 

If she couldn’t visit the era she’d been intending to visit, she’d throw herself into reading about who she’d been planning on visiting- her favorite persona from the past- Anne Boleyn. 

“Oh Anne…” She said, diving into a passage she’d written a few weeks ago on the morning of her execution. “If only you’d had any idea what you were up against…” She tried to imagine what it would be like to be young Anne. Thrown into a time of unprecedented turmoil, drawn into the main stage of history by love and ambition, pulled down just as quickly as the inferno of politics consumed her, her body unable to do the one thing destiny demanded of her- produce a male heir to continue the Tudor line. 

Some time later Rey’s gaze was pulled toward the casement windows of her bedroom. The continuous pitter-pattering sound against them had gone silent. The rain had stopped hitting them just as quickly as it had began. She walked over, unlatched the squeaky clasp that held the old pane shut, and opened the window, looking out over the moor. 

The night she looked out into was eerily calm. The clouds had miraculously begun to disappear. Beams of moonlight illuminated her face as the stars begin twinkling overhead in an ever clearing sky.

“I could have used that a bit earlier” She thought as she shut the window and turned to ready herself for bed. By now it felt a bit too late to be attempting anything. She figured she’d head to bed and call it an early night. She would wake refreshed to attempt a trip into the past tomorrow. 

An hour or two after falling into bed, she laid staring wide eyed at the plaster ceiling of her bedroom. The calm of the outside world was somehow deafening. She was wide awake- as awake as if it were midday. She couldn’t have closed her eyes if her life depended on it. As quickly as she’d turned in for the night, a sense of urgency began to pull her thoughts outside… across the moors… up to the stone archway... It had a way of doing that. 

Rey sighed as she realized she wouldn’t be getting as much sleep this evening as she’d thought. She sat straight up in bed, a resolve coming over her about what lay ahead. The night sky was clear. She had her garb prepared for the time she intended to visit. She was going to head out and take her trip tonight after all. 

Rey did her best to get dressed quietly, strapping on her boots and pulling on a cloak to shield her from the elements.

As she crept down the stairs of the front hall, she could still hear her father, brother, and sister awake, playing cards in the library. She knew they would do so into the wee hours of the night. That was their typical routine when Bill and Virginia were visiting. 

Rey slowly opened the front door, hoping no one heard her. She knew if they saw her attempting to leave they’d get onto her about the possibility of lightning still in the area. Something about the way the outside world called to her assured her it would be alright, regardless of any warnings about the weather she know she should he heeding. 

Halfway to her destination she heard a rumbling in the distance. She noticed a hint of storm clouds beginning to creep back up on the horizon. The moonlight made them even clearer as they threatened to reassemble and renew the storms that had blanketed the area earlier in the evening.

“Don’t you _dare ___” she muttered under her breath towards the clouds. She’d made up her mind to venture out and by all the gods she was not about to turn back.

Finally she made it to the stone archway. An energy sparked and simmered around it, stronger than anything she’d ever felt. The energy of the Earth below her felt as if it might boil over at any second. It was an especially strong moment to be passing through the portals of time. There had been a reason the archway had called to her. Tonight it had something to show her, something it had waited a long time to share.

Rey felt another energy nearby growing, the storms on the horizon continued to threaten to return. Her inherited abilities with time travel came from the ancient tradition of magic- a tradition that knew how to observe the natural energies that governed the physical world around her. She could read them and gain insight from them as easily as opening a book. From what she could sense building in the distance, she knew she’d better make quick work of opening the portal before the storms had a chance to catch back up.

Rey held her hands up flat in front of her as she faced the archway. She began reciting an ancient verse, circling her hands in the air in front of her to draw out the portal so that she could travel through it. Circling, glowing, sparked edges of the portal began to appear as an oval in front of her grew. After a minute of repeating the process, a mirror like portal hung before her fully formed. 

Rey took a deep breath as the dark opening in time stared back at her. She wasn’t sure why she suddenly felt nervous. 

“This is just like _any other trip. ___” She told herself, doing her best to calm her nerves. She’d be in Tudor England, seeing the early years of Anne’s time at court, and back before she knew it. Perhaps she could even catch the last round of cards before everyone went to bed.

Her courage called up, Rey confidently took a step forward to enter the portal. Mid stride, her worst fear became reality. As she was halfway into the portal, the sky above was pierced by a loud crack as a bolt of purple lightning raced towards her. The bolt flew down and struck her, hitting her in the shoulder and radiating through her body until she could feel it’s surge busting from her fingertips. The portal itself glowed purple around her as the electricity connected with the oval frame encircling her. 

She didn’t have time to think or panic. Her body felt electrified as an unfamiliar energy surged her the rest of the way forward, pushing her through the portal. There was nothing she could do to stop it. Her vision blurred and she felt as if time itself began to slow down, bend, and change around her. Her head fell back as she felt her strength draining. She noticed the sky itself had appeared to split in two.

She prayed to whatever gods might be listening that she would survive this as the world around her faded to black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my second fanfic and first historic AU so I’d love to hear what you think! 
> 
> For my regular followers of No One’a Ever Really Gone don’t worry, that one is still trucking along as before. I just needed something to look forward to throwing my energy into once that one is all done. 🦋💫🌹


	2. Waking Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey wakes up to find herself in a Tudor England very different from the one she knows.

Rey’s eyes fluttered open as morning light streamed into her chamber. Looking around her she realized she’d woken up inside of a castle. The room she was in very much fit the time period she’d aimed for, and by the looks of the nightgown she wore, she was someone who’d been born high enough in society that would make things easier during her trip into the past.

Trip into the past… if this were a trip like any other, she’d have passed through the portal still wearing the clothes she’d donned at home that night, found her destination, and known the spot she’d need to return to in order to reopen the portal to her own time. Waking up in a bed as if she’d always lived a life in this place wasn’t part of the plan, nor should it have been.

Suddenly the thought hit her… the bolt of lightning… it had contained enough energy in it to remove the very soul from a person’s body. Perhaps her consciousness had been transferred to someone else in the time she’d attempted to travel too...

She had to see for herself, to see if she was still in the same body. Looking down she appeared to be the same person, her hands and body appeared to be the same body she’d always known. She needed to see her face to be sure.

 _Definitely not going to find a mirror anywhere around here... ___She thought to herself, knowing it would be another 300 years before such a thing existed.

She went to the wardrobe and quickly found a shawl to pull on over her nightgown. A pair of boots sat below it, which thankfully fit like a dream. 

_That’s lucky. ___She thought to herself. _A little too lucky… ___

She leaned out a window to see if she could spot a body of water. Thankfully the castle she found herself in was surrounded by a moat- one that looked to be dark enough to check her reflection in it’s water.

Minutes later as she made her way out onto the grass she paused, afraid of what she might see staring back at her. 

“It’s now or never Rey. Let’s do this.” She said to herself out loud, approaching the water slowly. 

She placed her hands on the ground as she braced herself to lean out over the water. Slowly she peered into it’s dark reflective surface. Relief flowed into her chest as the face she’d always known stared back at her.

“Whew, am I ever happy to see you.” She sighed upon seeing her familiar reflection. She’d appeared to have been struck by lightning and somehow lived to tell the tale, totally unscathed. 

How she’d woken up in someone else’s bed was another matter she’d have to set to figuring out soon…

“My lady!” A maid yelled out the window of the bedroom she’d just left. “Lady Rey! What on Earth are you doing down there?!” 

Lady _Rey?! ___How could someone here possibly know her by name??

“I um… I’ll be back up in a minute…” She yelled, wondering what she’d got herself into. She suddenly wished she’d studied a bit more with her parents about the details of time travel- specifically concerning all that could go wrong. 

Clearly something had gone very wrong when she’d been struck by lightning. The energy appeared to have been enough to transport her into some alternate universe or lifetime.

Turning around and staring up at the grey stone walls that towered above her, her breath caught firmly in her chest.

“No… It couldn’t possibly…”

She ran around the castle to find a bridge that spanned the moat. She pulled herself up onto the bridge and crossed it, going further out into the yard, far enough away to take in the full sight of the castle she’d woken up in. 

Her mouth hung open as she recognized the structure instantly. 

Before her stood Hever castle… the ancestral home of the Boleyn’s. 

She’d woken up in the home of the very person she’d set out to study. 

“Lady Rey!” Her maid yelled after her as she spotted her, crossing the bridge to come after her. “Now’s not the time for strolling the grounds! We have to get you ready! Your carriage will be leaving for London in a few hours!”

“My what?” Rey asked shocked.

“Heavens girl did you wake up and hit your head?!” The maid asked.

“It’s a distinct possibility.” Rey answered.

“Come on then.” The maid said gently taking her arm and leading her back inside. “I’m sure you’re nervous before your first big day at court. Your father could barely keep his feet on the ground the past few days going on about it. _My daughters Rey and Mary headed to court for the first time. Give these girls a few days and they’ll have the king smitten. ___” The maid laughed at her own imitation of her master’s words.

The statement made Rey’s stomach drop. Rey and Mary? Not _Anne ___and Mary? It was a little too much of a coincidence. Suddenly Rey feared she’d figured out exactly what had happened, though she did her best to quiet her fears before she knew for certain. Surely back in her room she could find something to confirm who she really was…

Upon returning to her room, she found a letter on her desk she’d apparently written the night before. It told her all she needed to know. It was dated at the top 5 May 1526. The signature read “Rey Boleyn.”

“Shit…” she thought to herself as the name stared back at her. It was the absolute last name on Earth she’d hoped to find had become her own.


	3. The Dark Rose

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey heads to the Tudor court with her new family. The man she finds sitting on the throne comes as the greatest surprise of the new realm she's found herself in.

Much to Rey’s shock, her own name hadn’t been the only one in history to undergo a change. Her father was no longer Thomas Boleyn, 1st Earl of Wiltshire, but _Unkar ___Boleyn, 1st Earl of _Nima ___. Her brother was no longer George Boleyn but _Hux ___Boleyn. The name changes were more than a bit tricky to get used to. Their odd sounds were totally unfamiliar to her compared to the names she’d expected to hear in Tudor England.

Whatever the bolt of lightning had done, it had fried more than just Rey’s senses- it had scrambled a good bit of history as well. Or had it transferred her to a parallel universe as she’d originally suspected? She couldn’t be totally sure. All she could do at the moment was sit and wait and see what sort of cards fate played for her in this mysterious new realm- a realm that kept playing out eerily familiar yet slightly different storylines to the one she knew. 

As Rey rode in the carriage with her new father, brother, and sister she did her best to recite the new names in her mind. She was determined to do her best to get used to an alternate reality from the one she’d known. The last thing she wanted was anyone thinking she’d lost her mind by calling people by the wrong name. She knew how quickly things could go wrong for a woman in this era of history, especially one who’s sanity was brought into question. 

Rather than joining in the conversation amongst her new family members, she decided to remain quiet and listen to all they had to say. She couldn’t help but wonder what else might have changed in history. She knew arriving at the vibrant Tudor court would confirm whatever she needed to know. 

As soon as she arrived the array of slight differences between the Tudor England she’d known and the one she found herself in were clear. Fashions appeared to be the same, with a few stylistic changes. The base styles of dress were all the same, with slight variations on necklines and cuts here and there. She couldn’t quite put her finger on it, but it almost appeared as though styles from other areas of history had been sprinkled ever so slightly on top of the traditional Tudor ones that paraded before her. Tudor fashions, with slightly modern twists, if they called be called that in this era.

The dialects of those that spoke around her were similar… except… she thought she heard a trace of an American accent here and there. The first time she heard it she thought she’d imagined it. The second time she heard it she knew she couldn’t have mistaken it. 

The court music had gone under an up-tempo change as well. The instruments were the same, but the beats and rhythms that churned from them were more vigorous. The notes the musicians played had a slight edge to them Rey didn’t remember hearing in her past journeys to this era.

Suddenly it hit her what had happened- traces of other eras of history and places in time had blurred with this time, but only slightly. At first glance it appeared to be the same Tudor England she’d known. It wasn’t until she took a closer look, really paid attention to the details, that she could spot the distinct differences. 

The insignia of the royal monarchs that hung on banners around the castle was also different. Where she’d expected to see “HK” for Henry and Katherine Tudor, there instead were a pair of Ks. It looked as though Henry had found himself with a different name as well. She tried to think for a moment if there were any traditional English male names she knew of that began with K…

Rey received her answer about the king’s new name as his presence was announced to the court. All turned their attention to the throne as trumpets sounded announcing his entrance.

A groom’s voice thundered from the back of the room through the space making the official announcement. 

“All hail his majesty King Kylo Tudor of England, Eighth of his name!”

“All hail King Kylo!” The court responded to welcome their king.

 _Kylo?! ___She thought to herself, having never even heard a name remotely like it. _That’s a far cry from Henry… ___

If the name was a shock, the man she saw enter the room and walk forward to take his place on the throne came as an even bigger shock.

Where she expected to see a towering redhead in his late 30s, instead entered a towering brunette closer to her own age- a man with striking features, thick black hair with hints of curl that framed his face, and the deepest, darkest eyes she’d ever seen. Eyes that, as he turned to sit, stared right at _her ___…

His piercing gaze consumed her as he sat on the edge of his throne, riveted by the site of a face he’d never seen before. 

Rey instantly forgot there was perhaps 50 other people in the room as she found it hard to breathe. 

For a few brief seconds, it felt as if they were the only two souls on Earth.

They stared at each other as though they’d waited their entire lives to find each other in this exact moment. 

An energy sparked and radiated through out the room, an energy unlike any she’d ever sensed.

The air in the room froze around them as time itself seemed to stop. 

It was such an intense connection, her vision began to cloud at the edges. 

Nothing in the room appeared to her save for _him. ___

Their moment was interrupted as one of the King’s men cleared his throat, letting the King know to come to his senses. Kylo and Rey looked around, realizing the entire room was now staring at them staring at each other. 

Kylo sat back on his throne as he did his best to regain his composure, motioning for the court’s proceedings to begin. 

As the room around them came back to life, Rey couldn’t help but notice his eyes regularly drifting back to her. 

_A Dark Rose indeed… ___She thought to herself, intrigued by the thought that she’d caught the gaze of such a sinfully beautiful man.

“Well well well…” Unkar murmured behind her in a low seething hum “We _have ___caught the king’s eye haven’t we? And on day one- _Well done ___my daughter.”

Rey’s skin crawled. The euphoria of the previous moments instantly began to fade. She knew where this led. A young woman’s presence in the court was for the sole purpose of catching the gaze of a powerful man… and there wasn't a more powerful man in all the land than the king himself.

If she was honest with herself she wouldn’t mind catching Kylo’s gaze under literally any other circumstance… something about the man who sat proudly on the throne before her awakened a fire in her, one she hadn’t known had been waiting to be ignited.

Under _these ___circumstances however, she knew better than to hope for anything more to come of the powerful connection she’d just felt.

*****

The next several days Unkar seemed positively giddy. Rey did her best to pretend she didn’t know what was going on, but every time she saw the man whispering with other members of court she couldn’t help but have a sinking feeling she knew exactly what he was doing. 

She knew enough of history and had heard enough court gossip to confirm why there were more than a few young ladies like herself showing up all of a sudden. Though many circumstances of the Tudor court felt entirely different from the one she’d known, one reality was oddly familiar- Though this time it seemed to be happening much more quickly than she remembered. 

The queen already hadn’t been seen at court in over a year, and there were just as many theories on why that might be as there were people telling the stories. Everyone seemed to have come to the same conclusion- whatever the reason, the King’s marriage wasn’t going to last much longer, and before long he’d be looking for a suitable replacement. 

The moment a king didn’t have a queen firmly seated at his side, every family in the realm with an eligible daughter would throw all they had at presenting her at court. Unkar was no different, though he found himself particularly lucky with two daughters to show off. Of course, his decision had been made for him early on as to who to focus his attention on- that had become abundantly clear the moment Rey had caught Kylo’s eye.

Rey was his best opportunity for advancement, and she knew by now he was making all kinds of deals to make sure she was placed as front and center in the King’s attentions as she could be.

She wanted to fight it, to ignore what was happening, but like most women of that time she didn’t have much of a choice. In spite of what her head told her, there was also that small burning part of her that continued to wonder what their initial connection had been about. 

One afternoon as her family left for court, she noticed her father had slipped a particularly heavy pouch of gold in his pocket before they left their apartments. She knew that couldn’t be a good sign, and made sure to stay on her guard for any schemes he might be up to. 

They were headed to a performance she and Mary had been looking forward to all week. Together with a group of ladies at the court they’d been practicing a short play that would kick off the festivities of the weekend. “The Capture of the Virtues” as it was called. _Very Freudian ___, Rey thought to herself, not that Freud existed yet.

They’d dressed in white costumes and would be portraying a variety of virtues, which several men of the court would have to fight to “capture” and save from others dressed in black, portraying the many sins and vices of the world.

Rumor had it the king himself would be taking part in this performance. This was particularly exciting, as he hadn’t taken part in many festivities lately. His attention was always mysteriously drawn away from the court functions he’d once loved. 

Rey got into position next to Mary at the top of a wooden castle that had been constructed for the event. Together they waited for the performance to begin. Part of her hoped the king would be there, and part of her hoped he wouldn’t. The way her father schemed and plotted to get her in front of him sickened her, and she didn’t want to have any part of that sort of thing. 

Still, she had to admit, if she happened to see him again _by complete chance ___... she certainly wasn’t opposed to the idea.

The crowd cheered as the group of heroes entered the room. The performance was set to begin. Rey’s heart nearly burst with excitement as she immediately spotted who was among them. Though they all wore carnival style masks to hide their identities, she’d know the pair of dark eyes that now looked up at her anywhere. He’d spotted her too, and was clearly set on capturing her as his virtue. 

The words of the performance around them blurred into a hum as all that became apparent in the room to them was each other. They knew what was going on around them, they just didn’t have any need to process it. All that mattered was getting to each other, and finding the reason for the mysterious connection they both shared.

Finally it came time in the performance for the heroes to fight their way forward through the vices and capture the virtues, saving them for themselves. Kylo wasted no time leading the group as he climbed the mock castle to get to Rey.

They clasped hands without saying a word as he got to her. The moment they touched hands, a sort of bond between them ignited. Rey suddenly had a vision of the future with the man that held her hand in his. A tear began to glide down her cheek, one he would have seen if not for her mask. 

Looking down at him he appeared equally spellbound by the contact they’d just made. It took several moments for him to be able to speak. When he did, Rey’s mind was blown away by the voice she heard.

“Charity, you’re my prisoner now.” Was all he could think to say. Charity was the virtue she wore on her sash. It felt odd to her that he didn’t know her name, but not nearly as odd as the accent he had as he spoke.

She did her best to hold her composure. The idea that a Tudor king of England had an American accent like some of the other’s she’d heard at court would be the single most unusual thing to get used to in this new realm- one she very much looked forward to getting used to. 

“Rey” She finally uttered, unable to remember any other words at all. Her mind was also consumed by the fact that he’d just referred to her as his prisoner. She’d have very much liked for that to be the case...

She suddenly realized he was looking up at her confused.

“I’m Rey.” She said to clarify, feeling like an absolute idiot. “My name is Rey.”

“Rey…” He said, breaking into the largest smile. “Would you like to join me for the next dance, Rey?” He asked, offering her another hand to help her down. 

“I’d love to.” She replied.

Moments later they spun around each other, hands clasped above them as they moved through the motions of one of many court dances they both knew well. 

At one point Kylo took her arm, and noticed she was trembling. He had a feeling it had to do with the intense connection that seemed to make every fiber of his being come alive when they touched. 

He waited for a moment in the dance to reassure her, to let her know she wasn’t alone in what she was feeling. It felt more than a little crazy as he thought of what he’d say to her, but he had to let her know that she wasn’t alone. 

The next moment they spun around each other close enough, he leaned in to whisper in her ear. 

“Don’t be afraid… I feel it too.” was all he could think to say.

They felt like the only words she’d ever needed to hear. If they were the last words she ever heard, Rey would die a happy woman. The king’s deep voice along with what he’d just told her soothed her to her core like few things ever had. Combined with the warmth of his palm she suddenly felt on her waist as he led her through another series of steps, she was amazed she was able to keep her feet moving at all. 

As the dance came to an end and the room around them began to applaud, they couldn’t take their eyes off each other. Neither seemed to be willing to be the first to pull away.

The other couples around them split and departed the floor, but still they lingered a little longer, fixed in place, incapable of breaking the connection they’d just discovered. 

Suddenly they began to hear whispers around them. The rest of the court had noticed how deeply entranced they were yet again by each others gaze. 

It took everything they had to pull away from each other, retreating back to the opposing corners of the room where they knew they both belonged.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Combining the stealing off the virtues with the hand touch scene... bless. Oh this is gonna be a fun fic to write. 🌹🦋


	4. A Rose by Another Name

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey is summoned to meet with the king privately for the first time. What he has to tell her explains many of the mysteries she's encountered since coming to court- as well as reveals the true heart of a man she finds she cares very much about.

Rey lay on her bed, reading over the lines of script again and again. She ran her fingers over them, ensuring they were real. No emotion was betrayed in them. It was like any other formal summons sent out to those called to meet with a member of the royal family. 

It was what the words didn’t say that had Rey’s heart pounding. 

The king- the man she’d danced with just nights before, who’d reassured her as she trembled in his arms that he felt the same connection that had caused her to do so- had summoned her to meet with him privately. 

She hadn’t expected this so soon, and yet, part of her wasn’t sure why she was surprised. The connection they shared was clearly about something larger than them selves. The longer they danced around its existence, the longer they put off the inevitable - figuring out why fate had called them to each other. 

With what Rey knew of the old ways of her family, connections like the one she’d felt existed for a reason. The one thing that didn’t make any sense was why fate had sought to connect her to someone who was married to someone else, and the ruler of a Catholic nation no less. Every fiber of her being and what she knew about herself told her she should be connected to this man in all things- and yet society, the law, the god he worshiped, and the vows he’d made in front of god, country, and family said otherwise. 

As she traced her finger around the way he flourished the K, an anxiety began to build in her heart about it. To make matters worse, she knew more than enough of history to know all the particularly gruesome details of just how her predecessor had met her storied fate. 

Falling for a man who was already married to someone else. 

Making him break with The Church to marry her instead. 

The turmoil that threw the country into, resulting in her own demise when she didn’t produce a son in a timely manner. 

It felt like the cruelest joke fate could have possibly played. Why had the universe thrown her into this alternate timeline- one she still had the opportunity of changing, while creating a connection that seemingly doomed her to an end she knew all to well?

Perhaps doom was too strong of a word to use for it. Whatever this was it was still her story to tell, her choices to make. As she turned the paper over and looked at the official seal, she promised herself one thing- she wouldn’t make the same mistakes the first woman to occupy her timeline had made. 

She wouldn’t bow to the wishes of her ambitious family or her own desires or whatever had made Anne do the things she did. She wouldn’t act against what she knew her conscience was telling her was right and wrong. She wouldn’t give herself to this man unless they both were free to do so in all things. 

However long it took for that to happen, if fate truly intended for their destinies to be shared, it would find a way to make that a possibility… whenever it was ready to do so. 

As the thought entered her mind she began to hate herself for it. There was only one way for that to happen- unless of course the church got around to granting divorces on its own free will. That was something history had taught her wasn’t worth waiting around for. 

As quickly as that negativity and doubt crept up, she shook it from her mind. 

Wallowing in self-loathing over what came as natural thoughts didn’t serve her anymore than the desires she knew she couldn’t yet act upon. Whatever fate intended for her, it had its reasons, and it would find a way. It wasn’t her fault for having seen what the future may hold. 

The only thing she needed to concern herself with was finding the strength to be patient enough… patient enough to wait for whatever destiny had planned for her, and to trust that it would reveal itself at the right time. 

“What’s that you’ve got there?” Hux asked as he entered her room on the way to his own. Unfortunately privacy wasn’t much of a thing found in Tudor interiors. 

“It’s nothing.” She said tucking the letter into her skirt. “Just an invitation to a party.” She could tell by the look on his face that he didn’t buy it. 

“Fine then.” He scoffed. “Keep your secrets. Just remember your family are the only ones who can protect you should you need it. Secrets don’t stay secrets for very long at court.” He smiled smugly as he turned to leave. 

As he passed through the door way she wanted to grab the pitcher of water on her bedside table and launch it at his perfectly groomed ginger head. She hated how something that both thrilled her and confused her -that she wasn’t anywhere near figuring out herself- was the one thing her family was trying to take advantage of with everything they had.

It was _maddening ___.

For a moment she wondered just how Anne had handled it… 

Then she remembered. 

Not very well. 

She sat up on the bed and closed her eyes as she did her best to center herself. Getting swept away by anger for others wasn’t going to help her any more than getting angry at herself.

At the end of he day, this was her story to tell. 

By all the gods, she was going to be the one to determine how it went.

*****

As Rey came to the door of the apartment she knew she was set to enter, she almost wished the guard at the door would turn her away. Few things were as terrifying as facing destiny head on, especially when that destiny was as complicated as the one she’d been charged with. 

“Right this way, my lady.” The guard said after seeing the letter she’d received. 

_No stopping now ___, Rey thought to herself.

Upon entering the room, the first thing she noticed was an extraordinary tapestry that adorned the wall. One of her favorite parts of time travel was seeing tapestries in their prime. Visiting museums and old castles in her own time meant seeing them after they’d faded from hundreds of years of age. There was nothing like seeing their intricate needlework shining with the brilliant colors they were intended to have. Tapestries were truly a lost art, one that deserved to be appreciated at the height of its popularity. 

As Rey read over the tapestry she saw it depicted the Battle of Endor. Reading about the battle, she realized this was what the Battle of Bosworth field had been come to be known as. The tapestry portrayed Kylo’s father, Han the 7th, winning the battle and ending the War of the Roses, cementing the Tudor Dynasty in history. 

All of it sounded familiar enough. Rey knew she would need to do some research on her own to confirm just how much had gone as similarly as it had appeared to.

In a way she wished history had just re-written itself an entirely different story. Relearning the history she already knew well with odd changes and twists would be a challenge unlike any she’d ever faced. She’d have to take her own notes and review them regularly if she was to have any hope of keeping it all straight. 

Rey’s thoughts were interrupted as she heard a door open behind her. She knew the king had entered before she turned to see him. His presence was one she could sense without even seeing him. 

“King Kylo, your majesty…” She said turning immediately to courtesy. From her trips into the past and a lifetime of research she knew well what was expected of a lady at court. She could play the part as if she were born to it.

“Please, my lady…” He said extending a hand to help her back to standing. “Call me Ben.”

Taking his hand made their connection spark, but it came as less of a shock this time. 

“Ben… you majesty?” She was confused. 

He smiled. “Yes, Ben. Kylo is only used for formal events and official meetings. I’d prefer if you call me by my Christian name, that is if you’re comfortable with addressing me informally.”

If _she ___was comfortable? She hadn’t expected that kind of courtesy from a King.

She immediately realized the reason for the two names. Kylo was his regnal name, the name he took as a ruler at his coronation. Ben was his given name, the name he’d been born with. She hadn’t expected to encounter the practice in Tudor England, but then again this wasn’t the Tudor England she knew. 

“Ben…” She said smiling to let him know she was indeed comfortable with it. The name fit him well… “I do like that a _bit ___more than Kylo.” She said without thinking.

God- she was flirting with him. She wasn’t sure what had come over her.

“Do you now?” He smiled at her nerve- a smile that made her weak. “Well in that case I shall always be Ben to you.”

After a moment he turned to step over to the window. It was clear something inside of him feared what might happen if he got too close to her. Though they were getting used to the intensity of their connection, it could still be overwhelming at times. 

He began speaking as if he’d recited what he was saying several times over. 

“My lady, Rey, I need to be completely honest with you. Normally there are rules and games men at court play with women to prove their intent and virtue. I think we’re both past that.” Rey was glad they were on the same page, at least about that. “I can already tell you’re a woman of great character from how you’ve avoided your father’s machinations to place you in prominent positions.”

He looked to her to be sure she understood, though he had a good feeling she did. 

Rey couldn’t help but smile at the suggestion. There certainly was truth to that. Something about the fact that he’d noticed so much about her already made her proud. He’d been paying close attention to her.

Realizing they were on the same page Ben went on. 

“It’s clear we’re both struck by each other’s presence.. a connection we can’t explain...” He didn’t have to elaborate. They both knew it well.

He paused for a moment looking out the window, considering his next words carefully. 

What he said next she didn’t expect, and it made her realize Ben was nothing like the Henry she’d studied. 

“I don’t want you to get the wrong idea about this. Above all I respect your virtue and dignity. I am a married man and thus…” He paused again as he came to the words. “I’m in no way free to act upon the desires of the heart.” 

His eyes had heaviness in them as his gaze briefly flickered back at her. 

The desires of his heart? That made it quite clear...

He was looking out the window again, centering his thoughts with what he had to say next. 

“It is because of our connection that I feel I can be completely honest with you about a matter I’m unable to discuss with most people. By now I’m sure you’ve heard rumors all over court about what a terrible husband I am- How I shut my wife away when she couldn’t produce a male heir, how I’ve been seeking an annulment from my marriage while I search for a replacement. No doubt those rumors are the reason a man like your father decided to bring you to court. He isn’t the first to do so nor will he be the last.”

Rey swallowed hard, but she had to admit she liked his frankness. Someone who cut through the bullshit and got right to the point was exactly the kind of person she liked to be around. Something told her it was a skill he’d perfected through the years out of necessity. A king needed to know exactly who he was if he was to lead a country as powerful as England.

Ben’s tone became a bit heavier as he got to the point. “Those rumors exist for a reason. They’re much more sensational and spread faster than a horrible truth I’d rather the world not know if I can avoid it. Again, I must emphasize it is because of our connection that I feel I can share this matter with you. If you were to share any of what I’m about to tell you outside of this room I’d have no choice but to remove you from court.” His eyes pleaded with her to understand as he looked back at her. 

“Of course your majesty, you have my complete confidence and discretion in _all ___matters.”

He was able to smile again. Somehow he already knew that to be true. He wasn’t sure how, but somehow he felt as if he could trust this woman with his life if he needed to. That assurance gave him the confidence to go on.

“The grave truth, the truth I cannot allow my court to discover, is my wife Katherine suffers from a horrible sickness that even my best doctors can’t identify. It began as terrible headaches. She’d have to stay inside in complete darkness for days at a time. Over time things became much worse. It has increasingly caused her to suffer fits of madness and delusions that have taken the woman she once was away from everyone that ever knew her. I know I don’t need to impress upon you the importance of keeping such a condition hidden.” 

Again he looked to her to be sure she understood. She nodded, realizing the seriousness of the situation more than he knew. As a student of history she knew just how often labels like insanity and demonic possession had been used to doom people -especially women- to horrible fates. Given the time that they were in, she wouldn’t have revealed such a condition were it to have fallen upon her worst enemy. 

For a moment it appeared as though his lip began to shake with emotion as he thought of what to say next. Rey could sense this all caused him great pain to discuss. His family was clearly very important to him. It explained the change many had mentioned they’d observed in him.

He looked at the floor and furrowed his brow, regaining his composure. 

“In a way, it is a blessing that her strength appears to be failing along with her mind. She won’t have to be in the tortured state she’s in much longer. Her doctors tell me she doesn’t have much longer to live. It is because of that that my focus outside of my duties at court must be attending to her comfort and caring for our daughter as she deals with losing her mother. The most difficult part of all this, I was told a year ago her strength had begun to fade. For a year I’ve been living with the notion that she could leave us at any time, and yet she seems to be holding on, refusing to let go.” He stopped for a moment, realizing he’d begun to reveal more than he’d planned to. 

“I suppose the reason I’m telling you all of this is to make it clear why I cannot pursue anything more than a friendship with you at this time, other than of course the obvious reason of my great respect for you.” He thought for a moment as he tried to remember where he’d been going with all of this. 

“The one truth in all this, what has begun to stand out to me above all things, is that I must hold onto whatever light is left in my life during this very dark time. I would greatly appreciate your friendship- if you’d be willing to share your time with me. Of course I understand if that’s something you’re not comfortable with, rumors have a way of-”

“Of course I would, your grace!” She cut him off not meaning to.

“Of course you would…” He needed to hear her say it, to be sure.

“Of course I’d be happy to share my time with you- my friendship, whatever you need that’s mine to give to help you through this dark time- it’s yours.” She couldn’t believe how easily the words came to her. 

He smiled again realizing what she was saying. For a moment a spark of hope flickered in his gaze- a hope that she sensed hadn’t been there for a very long time. 

“Thank you as well your grace, for your honesty with all of this.” Rey went on. “It has made a great many things much easier to understand.”

“You’re very welcome.” He looked honored by her gratitude. “I must thank you as well for your discretion with all of this.”

“There is no need to thank me your grace, I know you would have done the same.” Again she wasn’t sure where she found the words. Speaking with Ben came as easily as breathing, something she rarely found with anyone in her life. 

Both smiled for a moment as they sensed an understanding between them that didn’t need words. After a moment he looked out the window, the closeness of the moment becoming overwhelming again. 

“I apologize that I’ll have to leave in a moment.” She could tell he hated having to say that. “There’s other maters that need my attention this afternoon. Before I go I want you to know that you are _most ___welcome here- any resources of the palace's you might find yourself requiring, you need only ask.”

Her heart bloomed with happiness at the thought. To think that he trusted her enough to share so much of himself with her- that which he was able to share- she was truly touched by the declaration. 

“There is one thing your grace-“

“Ben.” He corrected her. 

“Ben” She said smiling. She had a feeling saying his name would always make her smile. “I was wondering if there might be any books on history, say, of the past few centuries that I might be able to study.” She knew a woman asking such a thing would likely come as a shock. Still, something told her she didn’t need to hide who she was with him, at least not her intelligence.

“You’re a student of history?” He asked. 

“You could say that…” She tried to think of how to put it. “Sometimes when the world gets to be overwhelming, it’s easier to look to the past to help understand things, to try and make sense of all of it.”

“That I understand perfectly.” He said. “And it is important for a woman to keep up her studies.”

“Is it?” She blurted out without thinking. Rey was shocked to hear him say such a thing. Even though he seemed to be a man ahead of his time, even the most forward thinking man of the 1500’s was unlikely to say such a thing. 

“Of course…” He said looking a little confused. “Why wouldn’t it be?”

She suddenly sensed there might be quite a few surprises for her as she discovered this new era of history for herself.

“I was only joking.” She laughed, hoping to play it off.

He laughed as well for a moment, a bit unsure what to think. Finally he knew just what to say. 

“I’ll have my guard Thomas show you how to access the library. Should you need anything else, remember you need only ask.”

“Thank you your- _Ben ___.”

He smiled at her slip. “You’re welcome, Rey.” He kissed her hand before leaving, finally bidding her farewell. 

A few moments later he was gone. 

As the door shut firmly behind him she let out a much needed sigh- it felt as if she’d been holding her breath the entire time.

In a way she was relieved. Excited even. It was truly the best outcome from their meeting that she could have hoped for under the circumstances. Perhaps most importantly, she was freed from any guilt of being part of her father’s machinations. 

This was the right thing to do, she told herself. She knew it was. He clearly was going through a lot and if he needed a friend, she was happy to be there for him with whatever he needed. 

In the meantime, she also had access to a royal library to enjoy. It truly was the greatest outcome she could have imagined for herself. 

A friendship to look forward to with a man that fascinated her, and access to historical records that she couldn’t wait to dive into. Things were certainly looking up for her time at court.

*****

Rey sat with her sister Mary on the sidelines of the royal tennis court, surrounded by a raucous crowd of courtiers. The crowd was enjoying one of the most vigorous doubles matches they’d all seen in some time. The king was playing with one of his closest friends Charles Brandon, against a pair of men Rey had seen around court but didn’t know by name yet. 

Rey realized this might be a good time to get some information out of her sister, specifically without her father and brother around. Mary was quickly making friends at court. Her list of social engagements seemed to multiply by the day. Rey knew enough of court life to know that a busy social life meant access to information. 

“Have you heard anything interesting about the king lately?” Rey asked nonchalantly.

Mary side eyed her for a moment, knowing exactly why she was asking. She could tell Rey was nervous about the rumored friendship she was supposedly starting with his majesty, and wanted to know just what she was getting into. Mary figured she’d better make sure she knew all she needed to know. 

“Do you want to know about his marriage in general or why it appears to be non existent?” Mary asked, cutting right to the point.

Rey stared at her lap for a moment, embarrassed at how well Mary had seen right through her. 

“Nothing specific.” Rey lied. “Just… I was wondering if you’d heard anything interesting that’s all.”

Mary smiled knowingly. She had a good idea what her sister needed to know and wasn’t about to hold back from giving it to her. Her sister’s advancement was her own advancement, and she certainly wasn’t going to stand in the way of that. More importantly, their father had specifically instructed her to keep Rey up on all matters of court gossip that she clearly wasn’t keeping up on herself. 

Mary was just glad she’d finally got the courage up to ask- at least she wouldn’t have to make things weird and bring it up herself.

She figured she’d better start at the beginning. She took a deep breath as she made sure to include everything she’d heard over the past couple of weeks. 

“Well, it appears he was once very in love with his wife, even though it was an arranged match. They married at, what was it, 15 I believe.”

“After his older brother died.” Rey finished for her. She’d already started on her research and that detail from history hadn’t changed.

“Yes… that.” Mary went on. “They were happy for their first several years of marriage, though babies didn’t come right away as all had hoped. His father was still alive and there wasn’t the pressure to produce an heir immediately. Then his father and mother died within a year of each other. Katherine was the one bright point in his life at that time. By all accounts he’d been full of life before their deaths- in love, next in line to the throne, a man on top of the world. But losing his parents so quickly weighed heavily on him, especially right after the death of his brother. The responsibilities of taking the crown at a young age didn't help either. Fortunately for him he had Katherine and then little Mary came along to lift his spirits for a time. People thought he might be getting back to his old self.”

Rey tried to imagine what he must have been like during that time. A young father, a devoted husband, a king right at the start of his reign with his whole life ahead of him…

“Then things began to turn again.” Mary continued. “The queen began showing up less and less at court a couple years ago. The king’s spirits diminished again along with her presence. Eventually she never showed up at all, and he hasn’t been himself since. Some say they’ve fallen out. Some say he’s disappointed she hasn’t provided a male heir. Of course they’re all rumors, no one is sure exactly what’s true. What I am sure of is if he’s hiding her away somewhere there’s a good reason for it- and it doesn’t bode well for the future of their marriage.”

Mary looked at her sister to gage her reaction. Rey sat stoically as ever next to her, pretending to be focused on the match, doing her best not to react to a single word she’d just heard. 

However she felt about what she’d just heard, she wasn’t about to share that with her sister, not yet anyway. 

Mary sighed as she turned her attention back to the match. She quickly discovered the reason for Rey’s forward focus. Occasionally she’d catch a glance from the king. He’d spotted her in the crowd and was having a particularly difficult time focusing on his part in the match having done so. 

Normally the king was a phenomenal athlete, rarely bested in any sport by his peers. Today however, the opposing side was having a much easier time getting a competitive edge over him and his partner. It was becoming clear to just about everyone in attendance why that was.

“Perhaps I should be asking _you ___about the king…” Mary teased, having to raise her voice above the crowd’s cheering as the other side scored. “It appears he’s formed a closeness to you above all else!”

Rey’s gaze shot to Mary. She wasn’t sure what to say to that- there wasn’t much she could say to dispute it. 

She stared at her lap again without saying a word. 

Mary looked back at the King and his partner, trying to think of how else to break her sister out of the shell she’d put herself in. 

“While we’re on the subject of men’s attentions… I wouldn’t mind sampling a bit of _that ___.” She said nodding towards the king’s partner.

Rey finally looked up. “What- Charles Brandon?!”

“Yes, Charles Brandon! Is he not absolutely gorgeous?”

Rey studied Ben’s friend for a moment. He was that chiseled sort of traditional handsome women swooned over, women who were into that sort of thing. 

“I suppose…” Rey said “I hadn’t really noticed.”

Mary rolled her eyes. “No you wouldn’t have, would you.” It was clear Rey only had eyes for one man at court, as much as she refused to admit it. 

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Rey asked, pretending not to understand her sister’s accusations.

“I think we both know, sister, I think we both know.” Mary sighed. 

Rey chose not to respond. It was clear they, in fact, both knew.

Charles patted Ben on the shoulder as they walked to the end of the court for a break in the match. “Perhaps there is another game you’d rather keep yours eyes on today your grace?” 

“Very funny.” Ben mumbled.

Charles did his best not to roll his eyes at Ben’s refusal to admit the obvious. “It’s not like the entire court hasn’t noticed yet. The least you can do is be honest with your best friend about it.”

“I am a married man, Charles.” Ben said firmly.

Charles wasn’t buying it. “Last I checked most kings are married men. That never stopped any of the others that came before.”

“Hardly the time for that, don’t you think?” Ben said as he took a seat on the bench, leaning forward with his elbows on is knees as he looked over the court. 

Charles could tell his friend’s soul weighed heavy after all he’d been through and what he still was going through. He absolutely hated to see him like this. He couldn’t remember the last time Ben had really been himself. 

“Listen…” Charles said taking a seat next to him. “I’m not trying to be an ass, though I’m sure it’s come across that way.”

“You are pretty good at that.” Ben finally smiled. 

“Fair enough.” Charles laughed. “Look, all I’m trying to say is we both know there’s nothing you can do for poor Katherine at this point. Quit torturing yourself over things you can’t control. Not living your life won’t make her final days any easier nor will it save her. You might as well get out and… well, remember to live a little. It’s the least you can do.”

Ben turned his head to stare at him blankly for a second. “The least I can do for my dying wife is to get out and bed other women? That might be the worst advice I’ve ever heard you give.”

Charles smirked. He had a point. “I never claimed to be much of a role model. You have to admit if I didn’t have a few good points every now and then you wouldn’t have kept me around so long would you?”

“You have your merits.” Ben conceded. “If it makes you happy, I have agreed to pursue a friendship with her but that’s it. Don’t expect it to go any further for now. I won’t insult the honor of respectable woman.”

“A _friendship. ___How _noble ___...” He scoffed. “I guess baby steps are better than none at all.” Charles thought about it for a moment. “ _Won’t insult the honor of a respectable woman ___… is that what you called it when you’d already bedded every woman at court by age 16?”

Ben stared at his friend again, then rolled his eyes. “Some of us have grown up Charles.”

“A bit too much it would appear.”

“Some of us haven’t had much of a choice…”

Charles paused as he realized what his friend was saying. Sometimes he forgot just how much had been placed on the king’s shoulders at such a young age. He couldn’t imagine what that had been like, nor did he want to. 

After a moment he knew what his friend needed to hear. 

“If it makes you feel any better…” He nodded towards where Rey was sitting in the crowd. “She _is ___staring at you again.”

Ben’s gaze shot to Rey. As their eyes met he looked away just as quickly, unable to avoid breaking out into the largest smile. 

“That’s more like it.” Charles grinned. “Now, what do you say we get back to playing? If you can pay attention for a little while you might just impress her.”

“I guess it is worth a shot.” Ben said without thinking. He quickly rose to his feet and got back out on the court.

A smile slowly crept across Charles’ face as he watched his friend take the court with renewed enthusiasm. “Well there you have it…” he muttered to himself before joining him.


	5. You're Not Alone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey attends an important court proceeding, and sees a side of Ben she's unfamiliar with. During a walk together in the gardens, he introduces her to a very important part of his world.
> 
> Here's a gorgeous piece of fan art showing of one of the beautiful dresses Rey might wear during her early time at court. Piece by the amazing artist WaterlillyRose.

Rey waited eagerly in court to watch the morning’s proceedings as the king met with ambassadors. She sat alone, being the only one from her family to have come. Mary found politics extremely boring and her father and brother had insisted they had “better things to do”. Rey had a good feeling “better things” involved their never-ending parade of back door deals and schemes. 

Whatever they were up to, she was glad to be free of them for a morning while also having the chance to see Ben leading his court. 

Her initial studies of history had confirmed politics across Europe were every bit as unstable and tense as they’d been in the 1500s she’d known. With what little time she and Ben had spent together in their first meeting, she’d picked up on the fact that he was a man ahead of his time- as well as a man with a kind and fair heart. She couldn’t wait to see how he took on the role of ruling a country in a time as turbulent as the one he found himself in. 

The morning’s proceedings began addressing a treaty England had long held with Spain. Reports from the French court had confirmed Spain was making attempts to work with France to create some kind of alliance with them going forward. Doing so would be a direct insult to England in that it would undermine the treaty they’d held with them for so long. Rey had heard Ben planned to address it by calling the Spanish Ambassador to meet with him at court that morning. 

“His Excellency- Ambassador Orgullo of Spain!” The groom announced as the ambassador entered the court. 

“King Kylo, your majesty.” The ambassador said as he bowed to address the king. “It is a pleasure to be able to meet with you this morning.”

“How I wish I could say the same, Ambassador.” Ben snapped. The quick retort made Rey jump. From what she could read of Ben’s face, he clearly wasn’t pleased to see the man. He wasted no time addressing the matter at hand. 

“From what I’ve heard from my intelligence officers in France, Spain has been making attempts to undermine our treaty by approaching Louis to establish some kind of treaty between your two nations. What _exactly ___am I supposed to think upon receiving such news?” His posture was that of a confident sulk as he leaned into his throne.

The ambassador paused. His nonchalant, almost amused expression made it clear he wasn’t going to be intimidated that easily. “Your majesty- my master King Phillip must ensure he is looking at _all ___available options when deciding how to go about achieving his goals for Spain in Europe. Surely you understand these things, being a ruler of a sovereign nation yourself?”

Though his words sounded somewhat diplomatic, the total lack of concern in his voice was unmistakable. He was testing the king to see where he could get with him. 

“Oh I understand _entirely ___, ambassador.” Ben replied, leaning forward on his throne. “I understand an alliance with England only matters to your master as long as _he ___is the one doing all the gaining from it. The moment it doesn’t suit him he’s off to pursue others- turning his back on old friends and aligning himself with rulers who’ve done nothing for him other than flatter his vanity and feign friendship when it suits them.” He waved his hand with his final words, making sure they stuck. Rey sensed an intensity building in him that she hadn’t seen before.

Ambassador Orgullo thought about it calmly for the moment. He didn’t seem to be as affected by the insinuations as Ben had hoped. A sly smile came over the ambassador as he thought of what to say next.

“Perhaps… if we could hear Queen Katherine’s thoughts on the matter… your grace? My master’s wife, Queen Joanna, has hoped to hear from her sister for _quite ___some time. They both miss her terribly. I’m sure her views on the issue would be very illuminating for _all ___of us.” His self-satisfied smile disgusted Rey. The ambassador knew he’d hit the king with something personal.

Looking back at Ben, Rey saw a fire ignite in his eyes unlike anything she’d ever seen. 

Ben launched forward off his throne, grabbing the ambassador firmly by the collar. His brow furrowed with hatred for the man in front of him as he made himself perfectly clear. 

“Queen Katherine is my WIFE. She is my partner in all things spiritual and private, but she DOES NOT speak for England and she DOES NOT speak for me. Should my wife desire to contact her sister and brother-in-law she is free to do so at any time. I have larger matters to concern myself with than interfering with my wife’s correspondence with her own family. You tell your masters if they’re SO KEEN on hearing from her that perhaps they should come visit her themselves? She hasn’t seen them since she was 13 YEARS OLD. They didn’t even bother attending OUR WEDDING. If there’s a familiar closeness they supposedly miss they’ve had EVERY OPPORTUNITY to make good on the matter and STILL do.”

Ben let go of the man’s collar, clasping his hands behind his back as he began aggressively pacing circles around the ambassador. His large, hovering form circling the much slighter man clearly made the ambassador uncomfortable.

“While we’re on the subject of _second opinions ___…. perhaps you would like it if I contacted the Protestant Rebel Alliance and discussed aiding them with closing all shipping lanes in the North Sea to ships from Spain? Perhaps you’d like it if I contacted his holiness Pope Palpatine and told him how you’ve slowed down the expulsion of heretics in your own kingdom- even going so far as to be lenient with their presence _in your own court? ___Perhaps I should call upon _my cousin ___Louis, _The King of France ___, and ask if he needs any assistance with ships on his western shore? I’ve heard there’s several ports in northern Spain that he would absolutely LOVE to get his hands on….”

Ben paused for a moment standing behind the man, letting his words sink in. Rey could see from the rage in his eyes that he was nowhere near done.

After a few moments he walked around the ambassador and was inches from his face again. His voice began wavering between a low growl and impassioned yelling as he made sure the rest of what he said was communicated in _no ___uncertain terms.

“Hear THIS ambassador. I have absolutely NO RESERVATIONS about reigning HELL down upon Spain should you and your master EVER demonstrate anything other than LOYALTY and the UPMOST RESPECT for me, my country, and MY FAMILY. IS THAT UNDERSTOOD??” 

By now the ambassador was practically shaking. 

“Y-yes your majesty, m- my sincerest apologies for the misunderstanding. I shall communicate your concerns with my master _immediately ___.”

Ben stayed in the man’s face for a moment, jaw tight, eyes seething with anger. After a deep, snarling sigh he turned and slowly made his way back to his throne, turning to sit down. 

After a few moments he leaned forward and, overcome with a sudden calm that was more than a little unnerving to witness, he responded “Thank you… _ambassador ___.” A wave of his hand let the ambassador know he was free to go.

Ambassador Orgullo bowed and turned to leave the room as quickly as his boots would carry him. 

As he left the room Ben’s eyes remained frozen on him, calculating in a way. After the door of the great hall shut behind him Ben finally relaxed.

As he relaxed, his gaze suddenly drifted to Rey. He bit his lip, sat up and looked back forward, doing his best to not get distracted. A distraction in a tennis match was one thing. Distraction in court could be disastrous if he allowed it to affect him. 

_A bit more like Henry than I realized. ___Rey thought to herself with a sigh.

*****

That afternoon Rey anxiously awaited her walk with Ben in the gardens. The gardens were filled with courtiers roaming the paths between the hedge rows, enjoying the perfect early summer day that bathed the castle grounds in sunshine. 

Rey felt herself torn between the excitement she’d had of looking forward to their walk, and the sudden unease she still felt after having seen Ben nearly reduce a grown man to tears in front of his entire court. Once she saw him coming her unease began to fade a bit, though she still couldn’t shake it entirely. 

“Rey!” He said as he made his way to her. “What a joy it is to see you this afternoon.”

“It is a joy to see you as well your grace.” She said curtseying.

“What did I tell you about that?” He said leaning his head to the side. “Remember I am always Ben with you.”

“Ben.” She smiled. She _did ___like having him remind her to address him informally…

“Have you enjoyed your time at the library?” He asked.

“Very much. It’s impressive how many volumes you have here at court.”

“Building the library has been one of my primary focuses during the first years of my reign. The decades of war that ravaged this country during our parents and grandparents lifetimes left the royal library lacking compared to others like it in Europe. It’s my goal to right that wrong as much as I can.”

That news was music to Rey’s ears. She couldn’t wait to see what improvements lay ahead for the collection.

She tried to keep her focus on that, her gratitude for being allowed to access such a precious resource, the wealth of knowledge that had already given her, but something at the back of her mind kept interrupting her thoughts. A nagging feeling about what she’d seen earlier that day-

She didn’t have the courage to address it, and yet she couldn’t seem to shake it and focus on enjoying their walk together as she’d hoped. 

After they’d been together in the gardens for a while Ben noticed Rey seemed a bit more reserved than he’d remembered. Though this was only the second time they’d spent time together, her sharp wit and ease with words that he recalled from their first meeting was strangely absent. He sensed she was holding back something from him. 

“Rey, you know you can be honest with me, is there something bothering you this afternoon?” He asked.

She looked at him, a little surprised at having been seen through so quickly. 

“It’s nothing.” She lied. “It’s just- getting used to life at court is a little overwhelming at times.” 

He realized immediately what must be troubling her. 

“This mornings proceedings- you were there.”

“Yes, I… I didn’t realize it could get so…” She wasn’t sure what to call it. 

“Heated?” He laughed. “It can get that way when I have to reign someone in.”

Ben noticed Rey hadn’t laughed. He realized he needed to explain something important before she got the wrong idea about the kind of person he was. 

“What you saw this morning, I’m sorry if it made you uncomfortable to see that. If I’d known you were coming to court I’d have thought to warn you. The truth is- when I’m on the throne I‘m King Kylo of England, Eighth of his name and all that. Kylo is arrogant, impatient, quick to anger, and above all fiercely protective of his country. Kylo is nothing like Ben, the man that I really am, the man I’m able to be in my private life. Kylo is who the world must know if England is going to remain strong.”

Rey thought about it for a moment. “So you’re saying you’re an entirely different person when you’re on the throne than who you are with me right now?” 

“Exactly- and there’s a very good reason for that. If I were my true self on the throne, England wouldn’t survive. I learned that quickly when I became king at a young age. All the world descended, hoping to test the new king, to see how far they could push me and what they could get away with. I realized I’d have to be someone else when ruling in order to protect my country.”

Ben could sense Rey still had some hesitation. He imagined it must have been jarring for her to see that side of him without any warning. He did his best to explain it further. 

“Know that in my private life, when I’m allowed to be my true self, I’m Ben, the man you see before you right now. Just Ben, nothing else. But when I’m at court I have to be Kylo. That's how it must be. Know that it’s only an act I put on out of necessity- to protect my country and the people in it that I love…” 

He suddenly turned to look down the path they were on, hearing the sound of little feet racing on the gravel towards him. 

“Speaking of those that I love…” He said, breaking into the biggest smile. 

“Papa!” A little girl shouted as she came running towards him. A cascade of long, dark curls flowed past her shoulders and down her back, clearly inherited from her father. A couple of nursemaids were several steps behind her, laughing as they did their best to catch up to her. 

“Mary!” Ben called, kneeling down and opening his arms to catch her. As she flew into his arms he swooped up the tiny princess and spun her around. Coming to the end of their spin he looked back towards the nursemaids who’d just made it to them. 

“We’ll be fine on our own ladies, thank you. I’d like to introduce Mary to a new friend.”

“Yes, your majesty.” The two women said, curtseying. “Lady Salisbury will be out in a bit to fetch her for dinner.” One said with a smile before both turned to leave. 

“Lady Rey, this is the pearl of my world, my daughter Princess Mary. Can you say hello to Lady Rey, sweetheart?”

“Hello Lady Rey,” The little girl said. If Rey had to guess, princess Mary was around five or six years old. Rey knew by now this was the only surviving child Ben had. The way he’d referred to her as the pearl of his world melted her heart like few things ever had. 

“Hello Princess Mary!” Rey said with the warmest smile she could muster for the little girl. “It’s such a pleasure to meet you. And my, what a beautiful dress that is! You must introduce me to your dressmaker.”

Mary smiled shyly for a moment, then turned to hide her face in her father’s chest. It was clear she wasn’t yet at an age where she was totally comfortable with strangers. With what Rey imagined would have been a difficult early life, she understood completely. 

“Papa…” Little Mary’s face turned back up to her father. “When can I go see momma again?”

Ben’s smile fell. “Sweetheart, we’ve talked about this. Your mother is very ill. The doctors are doing all they can but she’s not well enough for us to go see her.”

“When will she be better papa?” Mary asked sorrowfully. 

“I’m not sure sweetheart… I’m not sure.” Ben kissed her on the forehead and held her head in his hand as hugged her close. Mary turned her head to lay into his chest again, soaking up every bit of the comfort her father had to offer. 

Rey fought hard to hold back tears at the sight. The bond he had with his daughter was one of the most beautiful things she’d ever seen. 

It became even clearer to Rey the gossips at court who’d made him out to be the kind of man who’d have his wife put away had an agenda entirely opposed to the truth. It also made her realize just how much Ben was up against, not that it came as any surprise. Royal courts were full of the worst kind of people- that she knew all too well as a student of history. 

Together the three of them walked for a bit. Ben did his best to distract Mary from what her mind had been on, showing her the new flowers that had just bloomed, watching the swans in the pond. Rey loved watching Mary interact with the world around her. Seeing the world through a child’s eyes made her notice things in a whole new light. For a moment she thought about how nice it would be to have children of her own someday…

“Looks like it’s time for your supper sweetheart.” Ben said, nodding towards Mary’s governess coming towards them. “Do you promise to be a good girl for Lady Salisbury this evening?”

“Yes papa.” Mary said, latching on to her father’s leg in a hug.

Ben knelt down to return the hug. 

“I love you so much sweetheart.” He said as he held her. 

“I love you too papa.” She replied. 

Moments later it was just the two of them again. 

“Sorry for the interruption.” Ben smiled.

“No need to apologize.” Rey assured him. “Mary is absolutely adorable. She can join us on our walks anytime.”

“Be careful what you wish for- once she warms up to you, you might never see the end of her.” Ben laughed.

“And why would that be such a bad thing?”

“You haven’t seen her strong will yet- or her temper.” 

“I can’t imagine where she would have inherited that from...” 

Ben turned to look at her, then laughed again. “Fair assessment… you don’t miss much.” 

“That would have been a hard one to miss.” Rey teased, recalling the morning they’d both had. 

“Also fair....” Ben noted, swallowing hard. Looking back towards the castle and seeing Mary make her way inside, he’d remembered something else he’d been meaning to say. Before though, they’d need to find a bit more privacy.

He led them towards area framed by tall trees, a bit more secluded than where they’d been before. They were still in full sight of all the crowds roaming the gardens, but out of earshot which gave them a bit more privacy. 

“I’m sorry as well you had to hear that about Katherine.” He spoke up.

“Why on Earth would you need to feel sorry for that?” Rey said

“I know it must not be easy to hear-”

Rey raised her hand to stop him. “Ben, you’re living it. I don’t mind hearing about it. Listening is the least I can do.”

He looked down at the ground, realizing he needed to be specific. “The part about keeping her away from her mother… that’s what I’m apologizing for. I’m sure that wasn’t easy to hear.”

Rey could sense just how much this had all been weighing on his soul. She took his hand and led him over to a bench where they could sit together, hoping it would help him relax. 

“Is it something you want to talk about?” She asked, hoping it was what he needed to hear. “I don’t mind listening. Really, that’s what I’m here for. Like I said, the other day, whatever you need that’s mine to give- it’s yours. A listening ear is included in that.”

Ben sighed, feeling more than a little relieved to hear her say that. He was always on his guard, holding everything in, except from those who absolutely needed to know. He realized he finally had someone he could open up to about all the things that had been weighing heavy on his heart for so long. 

It felt a bit like a dam bursting as he began to talk. 

“The hardest part about all of it- You know if I could take her to see her mother I would. As I’ve told you, Katherine’s delusions have been progressively worse over the past year. The last few times Mary saw Katherine I wouldn’t let her go without me. I was afraid of what she might do. Mary is so young… I knew she’d be terrified if anything were to happen and she were there with her all alone...” 

He paused for a moment, remembering the horror of the last time Mary saw her mother. 

“Unfortunately my worst fears came true the last time we visited her. Katherine lost it. I mean, truly lost it. She took one look at Mary and started screaming that she wasn’t her daughter. She flew at me and tried to attack me, yelling I’d taken her real daughter and kept her away from her, and to never come back with this “imposter”. The nurses restrained her and I took Mary and left immediately but the damage was done. Mary wouldn’t stop crying for several days. She had nightmares the first few nights. I ordered the servants to move her bed into my chambers for a while until she was alright- until the nightmares had faded and she was her old self again.”

The idea of it shocked Rey, not because she didn’t think of Ben as a good father, but because it was completely out of step with all that was expected of fathers from what she new of the time- _especially ___kings.

The children of royalty were kept out of the way of their parents, only seeing them on formal occasions and when required for public appearances. The idea that he’d broken with tradition and looked after his daughter so personally showed what a fiercely loving and devoted father he was. Considering the tragedy Mary was facing with losing her mother in such a horrible way and at such a young age, Rey was extremely grateful for that fact. 

“You’re an incredible father, you know that right?” Rey said as he came to the end of what he was saying. She looked him in the eye to make sure he saw how much she meant it. 

“I just- I wish there was more I could do, to be there for her. My duties at court pull me away so much…” He looked back out across the gardens as he wrestled with the thought.

“ _Especially ___for a king.” She assured him him. “You’re an _amazing ___father Ben, really. Keeping her close by as much as you do, most men in your position would never do that. It’s exactly what she needs right now. I know that because I lost my own mother. I ended up needing my father so much during that time, more than I could have ever known.”

“How old were you?” Ben asked, realizing they had even more in common than he’d previously thought. 

“It was a few years ago.” Rey replied, realizing she needed to stick to the timeline she’d researched, not the one she’d lived. 

“And your father was able to be there for you- like you needed?”

“Actually no.” She clarified, imagining how it would have gone. “I said I needed him, not that he was actually there for me. That’s why I know how lucky Mary is to have you. I know what it’s like to not have the family you need.”

“To feel utterly alone.” Ben said, remembering how it had been to lose two parents so close together.

“Exactly.” 

They looked into each other’s eyes for a moment, a shared understanding coming over them- of all they’d been through, of all that they knew lay ahead. Though they knew so little about each other in the short time since they’d met, one thing had become perfectly clear. 

“You’re not alone, not anymore.” Ben said. He wasn’t sure what had come over him, but he knew he needed to say it.

“Neither are you.” Rey assured him. 

The connection between them sparked and hummed as everything around them urged them to touch, to connect in that moment. 

Realizing what was happening, Ben Rose to his feet. Rey quickly followed. 

“We should head back to the castle” He said, looking back in its direction. “But, we can take the long way back, if you’d like?” He wasn’t ready for their time together to be over, not just yet. 

Rey smiled. “I’d like that very much.” 

Together they made their way back to the castle, making sure to take the long way as they headed back towards their separate lives that kept them apart. 

As they walked together, against her better judgment, Rey found herself having even _stronger ___feelings for Ben than before…

… and who could blame her? 

A man that could love his family so fiercely and fearlessly could make any heart lean into love- no matter how hard the head fought against it.

*****

Later that evening, Rey sat with Mary and Hux, playing cards in front of the fireplace of their court apartment. Difficult as it was, she was doing her best to remain civil with Hux. Playing cards and staying away from more heated topics seemed to be the only way to do that. Much as she regularly wanted to throw very heavy objects at his head, she figured the less enemies she had in her own living quarters, the better. 

“How did your walk through the gardens go with the king today?!” Unkar asked proudly as he burst into the space.

“I’m sure you would love to hear _all ___about it.” Rey sighed.

Hux and Mary’s gaze shot to her. They couldn’t believe she’d just disrespected their father so openly. 

“ _Excuse me? ___I believe your father asked you a question.” Unkar replied haughtily.

“You did.” She said, refusing to look up from her cards. “And I answered.”

Hux and Mary looked between their father and sister, terrified of what his reaction might be.

“You two, LEAVE.” Unkar growled.

Hux and Mary were gone in an instant, not needing to be told twice.

“Rey, sweetheart...” He said firmly, planting himself on the edge of the seat across her. “Be a good daughter tell your dear father how things with the king are going.” 

Rey stared at him for a moment, then looked to the fireplace they sat in front of. 

“I’m not sure how that’s any of your business.”

Unkar flew to his feet, enraged by her defiance. “It is MY business because you are MY daughter. As long as you are under MY roof, you will do as I _command ___you to do.”

Rey looked up at the plaster ceiling above them. “I do believe this is the king’s roof, if I’m not mistaken...”

Unkar flew around the table in front of them and grabbed her chin, forcing her to look at him. “You’re absolutely right it is the kings roof! Don’t forget for a moment that _I ___am the one that put you here. Just as quickly I can take you from his place and have you back at Hever scrubbing the floors if that’s what you’d prefer.”

“I’m _sure ___the king would love to hear your reasoning for doing such a thing- once he’d noticed I was gone.” Rey said, staring up at him defiantly.

Unkar raised a hand to slap her for her defiance, but stopped himself. 

“No…” He said, thinking better of it. “Wouldn’t want to damage that pretty face...”

Rey glared at him, wishing he’d just gone ahead and done it. She’d have worn any bruise from him proudly, having the opportunity to show the world the type of man that he really was. 

After a moment an unnerving smile spread across Unkar's face. “Have it your way.” He huffed. “I’m sure your sister and brother will have plenty to tell me. I made sure to have their friends keep an eye on you two today. By now I know better than to rely on _you ___to tell me what I need to know.”

He turned to walk back towards the room Hux and Mary had retreated to. 

For a moment Rey thought to stop him, to give him her own version of events, hoping it would stop him from involving her siblings or hearing whatever their friends had observed.

She realized she knew better than to think she could prevent him from doing anything. Either way, he was going to find out whatever they had to tell him eventually. The less she played a part in her family’s schemes, the better.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those that know their Spanish Orgullo means Pride. I figured Pryde would make a prefect sassy ambassador for Kylo to keep in check lol. 
> 
> How abut those Ben and Mary feels? Be still my maternal heart... 
> 
> Rey is going to be such a fabulous mother someday, even if she's not ready to admit she's already thinking about it lol.


	6. Whisper, Silence, and Waiting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben surprises Rey with a very special gift. Rey soon finds someone else has a gift for her as well- the last person she ever expected to receive anything from.
> 
> Here's one of my favorite fan art pieces of all time, showing what Ben would look like riding his horse through the woods. Thanks to the fabulous Mirrastupar for creating this masterpiece! I saw this a while back and immediately knew I wanted to write a renaissance Reylo fic. Thanks to Kat Lynch for coming up with the right prompt, it's finally here! 

The next couple of months passed by like a dream for Rey- that is to say, her father and brother were a nightmare to be around, but time spent with Ben and the time she spent alone for her own studies in the library made up for it. 

Ben and Rey shared as much time together as they could. As soon as Ben discovered Rey loved ridding as much as he did, he made sure they enjoyed the opportunity to ride out together as often as possible. As a time traveler, Rey’s mother had made sure she grew up knowing how to ride a horse as well as she could drive a car. Traveling back in time, riding horses was as necessary of a life skill as reading and writing. 

Second only to their walks in the garden with Mary, riding together across the moors and forests of the castle grounds quickly became their favorite thing to do together. Perhaps that was because riding allowed them to be together without the temptation that physical closeness created- temptation they both sensed they’d easily succumb to if they spent too much time enjoying what it felt like to be near each other. Every time they were physically close in any way, their bond came alive in a manner that became harder and harder to resist. The more time they spent around each other, they better they became at knowing how to avoid it- as challenging as it was. 

One early fall morning, Ben sent Rey a note to let her know he had a special surprise prepared for her. She was to meet him in front of the stables, as was their usual custom.

Rey dressed for a day of riding and eagerly made her way to the stables as quickly as she could. As she got to the courtyard out front she spotted the stable master Richard waiting with Whisper, the King’s horse. It felt odd to see Whisper standing alone. Usually Ben had his own horse and another for Rey prepared for them to ride out on. 

“Which horse will I be riding today?” Rey asked, wondering why only one was outside the stable. 

“I believe his majesty was getting around to that, my lady.” Richard said smiling knowingly. He nodded towards the large stable doors. 

As he did they began to open. Ben walked out with another stallion, nearly identical to his own, saddled up and ready to go. 

“His name is Silence….” Ben said beaming. “…and he’s all yours.”

Rey gasped in amazement, cupping her hand to her mouth. After a few seconds she was finally able to speak. 

“Oh Ben! You can’t mean it?!”

“Why wouldn’t I mean it?” He laughed. “It’s been hard enough to keep him a secret for this long. I knew as soon as he was ready I’d have to bring you down here to meet him so we could ride the brothers out together.”

“Brothers?”

“Silence is Whisper’s brother. He’s a few years younger”

Rey couldn’t believe what an extraordinary gift Ben had given her. Both horses were descended from a long line of royal equines that had carried the kings and queens of England across the grounds of their estates and into legendary battles told throughout the history books. 

Silence was- and she couldn’t help but think of it- a gift fit for a queen. 

With such an extraordinary gift, Rey knew rumors would fly even more at court than they already had been. A stallion with royal lineage was a grand gift for what was supposedly just a friendship. That combined with free access to the royal library and all the other freedoms and gifts Rey was noticed to be enjoying would amount to everyone at court being _absolutely certain ___she was the king’s mistress, even thought there was no truth to it.

As she rode out with Ben, Silence’s hooves rumbling beneath her, Rey knew for a fact that she didn’t care what anyone had to say about her new horse. Every member of court could talk until they were blue in the face for all she cared.

Nothing could ruin the freedom she felt on the back of Silence. 

Just like nothing could ruin the joy she got quietly studying the many volumes the royal library contained. 

Just like nothing could ruin the peace and wholeness she felt whenever she was by Ben's side

Nothing, _absolutely nothing ___, could ruin the happiness that had come into her life as a result of her friendship with the king.

Even better than her own happiness, was the happiness she’d seen coming over Ben during their time together. A sparkle had come into his eyes that she sensed hadn’t been there in a very long time. His own friend Charles had confirmed it at court one evening, leaning over to Rey to whisper "It's funny... I can't remember the last time I saw him like this.” followed by a wink that told her all she needed to know.

As they rode together, Rey could tell he felt truly free on the back of his horse; free from all the pains and pressures of his life, court responsibilities, the burden of leading a country- and the tragedy that his personal life had become. 

Later in their ride together, they stopped to share lunch on one of their favorite hillsides that overlooked the grounds. The castle could just be seen in the distance. Rey preferred viewing it that way- still close enough that they could see it, but at a distance where court life felt worlds away. 

As they enjoyed their lunch together, Rey quickly noticed Ben seemed a bit more reserved than his usual self. She knew she’d better check in. 

“You seem a little quieter than normal, is everything alright?”

He smiled. “That’s just it. Everything is as beautiful as it could possibly be. It’s hard to remember a time where-“ He paused for a moment… something clearly was on his mind, much as he tried to deny it. 

He wrestled with the decision to say all the things he’d wanted to say for some time. Part of him knew he had no choice. If he didn’t share the true feelings he’d been holding back, he was likely to explode. 

“There’s something I need to confess to you.” He took a deep breath as he centered his thoughts, making sure he said all he needed to say, as he needed to say it. “You’ve brought a spark of light back into what had been a very dark and lonely life. There’s something about you that’s different from anyone else I’ve ever met. Not just the connection we share- there’s a kindness about you. You truly see me for Ben, not Kylo as nearly everyone else in my life seems to. The first thing anyone sees when they meet me is the title, not the man who holds the title. You’re the first person I’ve ever felt like saw me for my true self from the moment we met…” His words trailed off as he came to the part that was harder to confess.

“I… I don’t know what to say…” Rey stammered. There was so much she wanted to say, but none of it could be said just yet. Not while he had another wife, another life she wasn’t meant to be a part of…

“You don’t have to say anything. Not now, not yet. I don’t expect you too and wouldn’t want you to say anything you’d later regret. I adamantly respect the kind of woman you are and know you’d never betray your conscience. Just know that…” He looked up at the blue sky above them, squinting into the sunlight as he considered his next words carefully. “Know that… whenever I have the freedom… of following my heart again…” He paused to take a deep breath before turning to her. “I _very much ___intend to share it with you.”

Rey felt like she should turn away, to hide the emotion in her face, but she couldn’t. Nothing in the world could have turned her from that moment. Her eyes brimmed with tears as she drank in the happiness they shared together. It took everything she had not to reach out and pull him to her, to drown him in kisses, to surround herself in his embrace, to… 

She had to stop herself as her breath quickened. Her heart was pounding in her chest as the thoughts nearly overwhelmed her. She could see from in the heaviness of his eyes that he was feeling something very similar. 

She wasn’t sure how he did it, but somehow he had the restraint to lean forward and gently kiss her on the forehead- a kiss of gratitude for her friendship, a kiss of appreciation for the woman she was, a kiss of hope for the future they both desperately couldn’t wait to be a part of…

Rey almost hated herself for how good it felt… 

She wanted to hate herself for it… 

She _knew ___she should hate herself for it….

Somewhere, a woman was clinging to life by a thread, and here she was dreaming of ravaging her husband the moment she took her last breath… 

She _absolutely ___should hate herself for it, and yet somehow, she _didn’t ___.

Even that knowledge couldn’t spoil the beauty of the moment they’d just shared. 

After a few moments of sitting together in silence, their foreheads leaned against each other, Ben pulled away and looked up at the sky again. He realized just as Rey had that if he stayed longer he wouldn’t be able to contain himself- that he’d do something they’d both later regret.

“We aught to return to the castle.” He said. “Tomorrow, we can ride out again. Silence will need plenty of exercise as he gets used to you.”

Rey smiled as she tried to contain her disappointment that the time to leave had come yet again. The promise of another ride tomorrow was all the strength she needed to hold on to the hope that allowed her to hold back.

*****

As they neared the castle, one of the king’s grooms could be seen sprinting out on horseback to meet them. At the speed he was riding toward them it was clear something of great urgency had taken place. 

“King Kylo, your majesty…” The rider panted as he caught his breath. “It’s queen Katherine, your grace… She’s taken a turn for the worst… The doctors say she will not last the night.”

The king’s eyes filled with panic. “Fetch Princess Mary immediately and ready our carriage!” He shouted. “We’ll ride to her _straight away! ___”

Ben turned to look at Rey for a moment, his face full of sorrow and conflict. He had to leave, but the last thing he wanted was to be parted from the one person who’d comforted him during one of the darkest times in his life. Rey knew right away what he needed to hear. 

“Go.” She said firmly. “Mary needs you. Katherine needs you. Your _family ___needs you. I’ll be right here waiting for you when _you ___need _me ___.”

His fear was replaced by resolve as her words soothed him. He knew he had the strength to face whatever was ahead, knowing she’d be waiting for him once he returned.

“Thank you.” He mouthed before turning to go. Nothing more needed to be said. Nothing more should have been said. He had another life calling that would require all of him as it came to an end. 

Rey held her breath as he turned to go. Her jaw tightened and her lip quivered as tears threatened to spill down her cheeks. She took in every detail as he rode away, the sun shining off his dark curls as they blew back, the expanse of his form as he leaned into Whisper, urging him forward with everything he had to take him where he needed to be, the thunder of Whisper’s hooves as he carried him away...

Suddenly a calm Rey hadn’t expected began to come over her. A soft breeze began to blow as the sun’s warmth covered her cheeks and dried her tears. 

“Take care of them” she heard in a whisper as a burst of wind flew past her.

She looked around to see where the voice had come from. She’d heard the woman’s voice in her ear as plainly as any words she’d ever heard. The more her eyes darted around the field around her, the more empty space met her gaze. 

Rey suddenly began to understand in that moment. Destiny had placed her here for a reason. The guilt she’d fought against over the past few months suddenly began to melt away as she felt a new sense of purpose come over her. 

Somewhere, a woman was letting go of a fight she’d held up as long as she could. 

Somewhere, a woman who was at the end of her fight was finally able to be at peace. 

Somewhere, a wife and a mother was ready to depart this life and journey to the next, knowing another had come who could take care of the daughter and husband she loved more than life itself. 

Rey’s eyes began to fill with tears again as the reality hit her. 

But this time, they were tears of _hope ___.

She knew this would be the last time fate would take the man she cared about away from her. The next time they met, it would be the beginning of a new chapter- a chapter they both had waited their entire lives to begin.

*****

The next morning Rey was pulled awake by the sound of the sorrowful church bells tolling throughout the city. Their mournful tones told her all she needed to know.

Queen Katherine had passed away sometime during the night. 

Somewhere, a man she cared for very much held a tiny daughter to his chest as together they grieved for a wife and mother they’d both truly lost a long time ago, a wife and mother that had fought as long as she could to be with them, until she knew they wouldn’t be alone. 

Rey wasn’t an incredibly religious person before this moment. She’d been raised a pagan but it hadn’t been a central part of her life, not until it helped with loneliness of her mother’s passing. She accepted all faiths as equally valid however, and respected the practices of other faiths that were different from her own. 

She suddenly felt an enormous sense of spiritual urgency come over her. She spotted a tiny alter near the window of her room and went over to it to say a prayer. Having grown up in a predominantly Christian part of the world, she’d been to a handful of church services with friends- Christmas, Easter, and weddings mostly- and had said the prayers as if they were her own. Though it wasn’t the faith she practiced personally, being in front of a cross was nothing new.

She looked up at the crucifix on the wall, and tried to find the words to say what needed to be said. 

“Queen Katherine, wherever you are... We never had the chance to meet in this life. I wish we had. From what I’ve heard you sounded like a phenomenal woman. I want you to know- I’ll do everything in my power to care for them, to see that Mary is brought up in the kind of loving family she deserves. From what I’ve heard, you were a deeply religious woman, and that was something you tried to pass on to your daughter. I’m not a religious woman myself-“ 

That was partly a lie she realized, but she had a feeling a Tudor Catholic wouldn’t want to know a pagan was set to take on their role in their family after they’d passed.

“…but I respect that as your tradition. Perhaps there’s a thing or two Mary can teach me...” 

She paused as she struggled with what to say to someone who’d entrusted her with such an enormous gift, that lived a life entirely different from her own, and who’s values and practices were mostly foreign to her. 

“Just know that- I’m going to do my absolute best with the gift that was given to me. I don’t know yet what that means or what that will look like, but you have my word that Ben and Mary will know the kind of love they deserve going forward on their journeys.” 

Finally, she knew just what needed to be said. 

“Thank you Katherine, thank you for the peace you’ve given me with this. I can’t tell you what an immense gift that is. I’ve struggled for so long against what my heart told me I wanted, and now I see it has all been for a reason. Thank you, for everything… it is the greatest blessing I have ever known, and I will honor that blessing with everything that I am...”

Her words came to an end as she realized she’d said all that she knew how to say. Sometimes there weren’t enough words in the English language to communicate all that needed to be expressed. She hoped what she’d said had been enough to show Katherine the true depth of gratitude within her heart. 

Out of respect for the traditions of the woman she’d just attempted to talk to, she crossed herself as she finished her prayer. 

As she rose to her feet, she felt warmth encircle her that told her what she needed to know. Her words had been heard and appreciated. She could enter this next phase of life knowing she had the blessing of the woman who’d come before her.

*****

Rey spent the next few days doing all she could to keep busy, though none of it ever kept her busy enough. Every moment of every day her mind was on Ben and Mary- 

Where were they? What were they doing? Who were they with? Were they lonely? Hurting? Sad? Scared? 

There’d be an entire funeral to plan and a daughter to look after who’d just lost the only mother she’d ever known... 

It was some of the most painful knowledge she’d ever carried. 

Two people she cared for were hurting in the worst way imaginable, and yet there was nothing she could do to ease their pain…

*****

Days later rain fell on her hood. Rey puled it further forward to shield her face. She stood watching from an open window as the queen’s casket passed by. Mourners lined the streets to get a glimpse and say their goodbyes. Rey had chosen to stay inside, knowing she’d already said her goodbyes to a woman she’d never met. 

*****

The next month felt like a lifetime. 

Rey had known it was coming, but knowledge itself was no preparation for the torture that awaited. 

With each passing day, time seemed to drag on longer…

and longer... 

and longer still... 

Catholic tradition dictated that the living observe a heavy morning period after a death. Spouses all but shut themselves away to mourn a deceased spouse for 30 days. Basic duties and work would be performed, but most of their time would be spent in solitude with their children while they mourned the person they’d lost. 

Not even kings who’d already mourned their wife’s loss for over a year were exempt from the practice...

The only times she saw him were his brief and necessary appearances at court. Dressed all in black, his eyes deep with lack of sleep, he was a shadow of the man he’d once been. Rey could tell just by looking at him how very empty he felt after all he’d been through. He was being forced to go through the motions of mourning someone he’d already mourned for so long. 

It felt cruel to make him wallow through that sorrow after all he’d already been through... 

Rey wanted so much to go to him, to hold his face in her hands and kiss him and tell him how much she loved him, how she couldn’t wait to start their life together... 

She knew just how impossible that was. 

The slightest misstep or disrespect for tradition during this time would mark her with a scandal she’d never recover from. Though she knew Ben didn’t care about such things as much as some, if she did lose that respect from his court it would hurt his favor with his people as well. 

Right now, her duty was to wait. 

Wait for the man who’s heart she knew was hers. 

Wait for the future together she knew they’d share. 

Wait for a lifetime she never could have dreamed of before entering the portal that fateful day.

Wait for a lifetime that was so, so close, it was all that she could ever think about.

*****

Rey marked one last strike on the page of her notebook as she laid in bed. She finally found herself at the end of the 30th day since Katherine had passed. She wasn’t sure exactly when it would happen, but she knew for certain tomorrow would start the beginning of a new life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> By now it should be becoming clear that this isn't meant to follow a historically accurate story in any way. Though there will be historically accurate details framing the story, the story itself will be an entirely new one- as it should be. The way I see it, why write a story that's already been told? 😉
> 
> Side note- I'm desperately searching for a Tudor image of a man on horseback to edit Ben's face onto as he looks at Rey before leaving. We all know this would be his exact look... 
> 
> The classic "When I see you again, you'll take my hand." look. ❤️


	7. Destiny

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ***Suggested listening for this chapter***
> 
> A little renaissance romance to set the mood. 💫
> 
> https://youtu.be/naEcZ4TaZYI
> 
> His mourning period over, Ben rushes to Rey's side as quickly as his feet will cary him. The surprise he has prepared for her nearly takes her breath away. 
> 
> What happens next, has them discovering the true strength of the bond- something they realize they've sensed since the moment they laid eyes on each other. 
> 
>   
> 
> 
> Image credit for mood board- Jade Bell, Petrolinka, The Tudors Tv Series

The sound of Ben’s boots were all he heard as his long legs carried him down the expansive brick corridors that wove throughout his castle. 

Lords, ladies, and servants all turned and looked at him, shocked by his sudden presence. None of them had seen him outside of court appearances in the last month, and the blazing determination in his eyes was something they hadn’t seen in him in years. 

His powerful presence overwhelmed the narrow hallways as he strode towards them. They each ducked and bowed out of the way as quickly as they could, uttering the necessary “Your majesty!” to show their respect as he passed. 

His gaze never wandered to any of them. 

His eyes were fixed ahead on the ends of the halls that led to the one thing he’d waited for all this time. 

The one thing he needed above all else. 

_Her. ___

*****

Rey sat patiently looking out her window over the gardens as the day’s sunlight crept in and warmed her lap. She looked down and ran her hands over the green damask of the dress she wore. It was the finest ensemble she could put together for this very special day. 

She’d meticulously planned how she’d look today for a month now. It had been all she could think of to occupy her mind as she waited. Now that the day was finally here, she could scarcely believe it was real. 

Her lady’s maid Nan stood behind her pinning a few final pearls into the woven basket of hair that crowned the back of her head, behind the French hood that framed her face. Cascades of brown curls fell below the design she’d graciously labored over, elegantly draping down her lady’s back.

Nan had spent her life perfecting her skills in braiding and hair pinning. What she’d put together for this special day was her crowning achievement thus far. She took one last look over Rey’s appearance, making sure the headpiece was perfectly set, ensuring there wasn’t a single hair or jewel or bead out of place. 

Finally she knew she’d done all that she could. 

“You look marvelous my lady, truly fit for a king.” She beamed with pride as joy for her charge welled up inside of her. 

“Thank you Nan...” Was all Rey could think to say, her eyes filled with a mix of gratitude and nerves. 

It was all Nan needed to hear. She knew just how nervous her lady was. The sooner she left her to her thoughts, the better. She stole one last look at her gazing wistfully out the window as she took her leave. 

Finally Rey was alone in the room with nothing left to do but wait. 

She smoothed her dress and fidgeted with the pearled “B” that hung around her neck. The necklace- one she knew well from her studies of history- was a family heirloom she only wore for the most special of occasions. No amount of wearing the greatest icon of the Boleyn family could get her used to the idea that it now hung around her neck.

Suddenly the door behind her burst open. 

A towering form filled the doorway- a man she’d waited a month to see. 

“Ben!” She gasped as she turned to look at him, her eyes filled with longing. She hadn’t known what she’d expected, but the pounding of her heart beating in her chest made the next few moments pass by in a blur.

Suddenly he was kneeling in front of her. The fierceness he’d burst into the room with melted away as he stared up at her in awe. The sunlight from the window streamed in around her and made it appear as if she were glowing. 

In that moment, she was the single most extraordinary creature he’d ever seen.

She leaned forward to rise from her chair and he stopped her, putting a hand up to hold her face, letting her know to pause. 

“No, no, wait, don’t get up…” he said, his dark eyes taking her in. “Let me look at you for a moment, just like this… You’re so, so beautiful… I want to remember you just like this for the rest of my life.”

Rey’s hand grasped his wrist as she realized she needed to do the same- To soak up the sight of him knelt before her, to drink in the beautiful moment she found herself in...

The man that she loved was kneeling before her and for the first time in her life he was truly _hers. ___

Her eyes poured over every inch of him- the gorgeous blue and black doublet he’d chosen for this day, the jeweled collar that framed his powerful chest, the dark curls that hung around his face, the equally dark eyes that stared up at her with the promise of the life they’d dreamed of for so long...

The plush, full lips that had begged to be kissed since the moment she’d first laid eyes on him…

The moment broke as their combined passion pushed them forward. 

They suddenly fell into the kiss they’d each craved since the first moment they’d discovered each other’s existence. Ben’s arms wrapped around her as he leaned up and forward, desperately needing to hold her close. Rey’s head dipped to the side and her mouth fell open for him, her body melting into his embrace with everything she had. 

Their tongues intertwined as their hands snaked across their bodies, grabbing and gripping and holding and craving a closeness that couldn’t be achieved while clothed. 

Their breath caught in their chest as their mouths and tongues pushed into each other with a fierceness neither had previously known possible.

It took all of Ben’s strength to pull away for a moment as he gasped for air. He leaned his forehead against hers, eyes closed lest he be pulled back into the frenzy of passion that had threatened to take over. 

Finally he found the words.

“Whisper and Silence... I have them ready…. I’ve prepared something special for just the two of us…”

She loved how his voice seemed to purr out of him while he held her. Rey leaned her head onto his shoulder for a moment, savoring the warmth of his body against hers. 

“I suppose that means we can’t stay here.” She whispered as she reached behind his head and twirled one of his dark curls around her fingers. How she’d wanted to do that for so long…

“No…” he chuckled, leaning his cheek to hers. “It does mean we’ll have to head to the stables and ride out, but I promise you when we get there, it will all be worth it.”

With that promise she was finally able to lean back and pull away for a moment. “I’ll need to recall my maid to change into a dress for riding… but… after that... I’m all yours.” She smiled. 

Ben bit his lip as he looked down at her. He’d waited to hear those exact words for so long…

*****

The thunder of Whisper and Silence’s hooves came very close to drowning out the pounding of their hearts in their chests as they rode out across the moors together.

As the wind whipped their hair back, they couldn’t help but steal needful glances at each other every few seconds as they flew forward together towards their ultimate destination. 

A few more minutes of riding and they’d finally be there… away from the palace… away from everything that had made them live separate lives for so long... alone… where they truly needed to be… in each other’s arms… nothing at all keeping them apart...

Finally they made it to the edge of the woods. Ben dismounted, quickly tying both horses to a tree he knew well. As he reached up to help Rey down, his passion got the better of him. As soon as she was on his level, he pulled her to him, taking her in his arms and stealing another kiss every bit as full of need and desire as the one they’d shared at the castle. 

For a moment she happily let him indulge… his lips felt _so good ___to kiss… she wasn’t sure how she’d made it so far in life without ever knowing anything that felt so incredible…

After a few moments she pulled away, knowing she’d lose herself to all reason if she continued further. She stared up at him amused, hesitating against the urge to dive back in. 

“I thought you said you had something special prepared for me... Surely it’s not just standing here at the edge of the woods?”

“No…” he laughed, looking back in the woods toward their destination. “Right this way...” He said, taking her hand and leading her forward. 

Together they made it to a clearing where he’d had a very special picnic set up for just the two of them. 

Rey’s eyes took in every detail- the gorgeous blankets and pillows laid out on the soft grass, the delicious lunch laid out on trunks that framed the area, garlands of fresh flowers draped among the spread… it was the single most romantic thing Rey had ever seen. 

“It’s extraordinary…” Her eyes welled up with tears as the sight overwhelmed her. She never imagined someone preparing something so special for her. 

Ben took her hand in his he led her into the middle of it. 

He turned to face her as he took both of her hands in his own. His eyes fell to the ground as looked down, gathering his courage to do something she could tell he’d planned out for a long time. 

He cleared his throat as he steadied himself. Finally his eyes rose to meet hers. 

“Rey, I stand before you today not as a king, but as a man fully in love. I’ve never felt anything so strongly as the deep urge that burns within my soul to be united with you in all things. You are the most extraordinary person I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. By now it is abundantly clear to me that fate has brought you to me when it did for a reason. It is my sincerest belief that God has destined us to find each other. I can think of no other person on this Earth whom I could ever share my life with.”

Ben paused as he pulled something out of his pocket. She couldn’t believe how intricate and beautiful it was. As he held the ring, sunlight glistened off a tiny diamond rose, encircled by rubies of red rose, along with small emerald leaves that speckled the outsides.

Rey recognized it immediately- the Tudor Rose, the sigil of his house. 

“Rey…” he said, falling down to one knee, his face shaking with emotion as he did his best to hold back tears. “Will you marry me- will you be my queen and rule by my side, but above all else, will you be the queen and keeper of my heart from now until the end of my days?”

“Yes!” She cried as tears spilled down her cheeks. She couldn’t say the words quickly enough. ”Yes, Ben! Of course I will! My heart is yours, it always will be, forever!”

She helped him slide the ring on her finger as he rose to his feet. A moment later he held her face in his hands as a flurry of kisses spilled from their mouths- each one filled with love and promises of the future they’d share together. 

Rey felt Ben’s arms encircle her as he held her closer to him. She reached up under his arms and grasped his shoulders tightly, pressing her check into his chest as he kissed down her neck. 

She couldn’t get enough… of the __warmth __of his embrace…. she needed more… so, _so ___much _more ___...

“Rey…” He said lifting his head and staring down at her. Her eyes lifted to meet his, seeing they were every bit as filled with desire as her own. 

She knew well enough what was expected of a lady at court who found herself engaged to a king… but suddenly… that hardly felt as if it applied. 

They were alone and free to do as they wanted…

They were destined to be together in this way, that much was clear…

Something between them existed…

Something larger than anything they could understand… 

Tradition and decorum be damned.

“Yes Ben…” She said breathlessly, praying he’d allow his desire to consume him as much as she needed it too. 

“I-“

“You what, _say it ___…” Her boldness shocked even herself for a moment.

He smiled before leaning forward and burying his face in her hair, whispering the words she so needed to hear. 

“I have to possess you utterly.”

“ _Please ___…” She begged, ripping opening her riding jacket and revealing the corset below to him- eyes pleading with him to let go.

His mouth dove into hers before she had a chance to say anything else. The sight of her bearing herself to him was all he needed to lose control. 

As he kissed her she felt his large powerful hands dive behind her, tearing her jacket the rest of the way off and throwing it aside as he began to undo the laces of her corset. 

Together they stumbled over to a tree for a moment, needing something to brace against as they lost themselves to passion that could no longer be contained. 

She reached up and grasped handfuls of his hair as she pulled his face to hers again, covering his mouth in the fiercest kisses she could muster. 

Their tongues dove into each other’s mouths furiously... Hands gripped and pulled at fabric and buttons and lacing... Arms reaching and tangling together as they fell completely apart… 

Every part of them clashed frantically as they tore into each other, desperately hoping to find some _relief ___of the _need ___that had consumed them over the past countless months…

Finally, with a solid tug Ben had her corset loose- her breasts freed themselves to him as she pulled at the final buttons of his doublet. She had to have his skin as bared to her as she had become to him... 

She pulled his doublet off, quickly followed by the white linen shirt underneath. 

She gasped at the sigh of his beautiful, muscled chest.

She could barely think as the words tumbled from her mouth.

“God, Ben you’re so-

She was cut off as another sinfully delicious kiss consumed her mouth. 

In the midst of a train of kisses cascading down her neck, Ben covered her shoulders and arms with his hands, running them over every inch of her skin, working his way toward her beautiful breasts he’d just freed…

She dove her fingers into his hair as he knelt down on one knee, taking her right nipple in his mouth… Circling it with his tongue… kissing and sucking and licking… sending tingles through her body that made her weak.

As he looked up at her, covering her breast with his mouth, something dark and mystical shone through his needful eyes she hadn’t seen before... 

Something inside of Ben had come _alive ___, something she very much needed to see more of...

Suddenly he stood and frantically hiked one of her legs up, grabbing along her thigh as he searched for something more…

 _No, ___she thought, _not like this… ___

Rey reached down and wrapped her arms around him, grasping his bare chest close to her as she led him over with her to the blankets below… tumbling with him down, down, down to where she needed to be…

She couldn’t wait to be laid out for him, ready to surrender herself to him completely, to give her body to him in every way…. 

A moment after they collapsed, Ben braced himself up on his arms, savoring the sight of her laid out before him, ready to be fully undressed and taken in all the ways he could imagine… 

Impatient to feel his body against hers again, Rey reached her hands up around his neck, pulling him down to drown him in kisses once more. The leather of her boots squeaked against each other as she wrapped her legs around him as tightly as she could. 

“We’re going to have to do something about those.” He grinned as he pulled away, reaching down to remove her boots. 

Somehow, he never took his eyes off hers. He couldn’t wait for their bodies, their _souls ___, to connect just has he’d dreamed of for so long…

Rey’s boots cast aside, Ben’s hands slid under her skirt, bunching the layers of fabric as his palms searched for what they needed… a moment later his fingers found the garters of her stockings, pulling them down. 

Slowly he ran his hands over her now undressed thighs.

She _loved ___how he bit his lip, closing his eyes as his hand made contact with her bare skin. When his eyes opened again, the sensation had set the dark fire in them burning to new heights.

He never broke his stare as scooted back, wrapping his arms around her thighs, kissing the inside of her legs. 

The heat of his lips touching her soft skin- skin that was normally covered under layers of fabric- made Rey gasp for air as she felt her chest might explode. 

Her heart had begun pounding faster as she thought of where else his mouth might go...

Ben wasn’t sure what all Rey was comfortable with, so he made sure to go slow, giving her the opportunity to pause if she needed it. 

His hesitation made her only want more, _so, so ___much _more ___of everything he was doing to her…

His hands snaked up her bare thighs as he continued kissing her soft flesh, searching desperately for something he’d needed to touch for so long.

After what felt like forever, his long fingers finally found her knickers. 

He was surprised by how wet the fabric that covered her mound was upon touching them. 

She was far more ready for him than he’d anticipated. 

Rey noticed a delighted smile come across him as he puled them down her legs, tossing them away. 

Lowering himself between her thighs again, he stared up at her for a moment, eyes heavy as he gave her the chance to pause.

Rey nodded to let him know to go on. 

She _desperately ___needed to see what else his gorgeous mouth could do for her...

The pile of skirts she wore hid his face as he pushed the mountain fabric up onto her belly. All she could see was his gorgeous mop of dark curls as she felt the heat of his mouth so, _so close ___to pressing up against her-

“Wait!” she gasped as his tongue made contact, hating to stop him but knowing there was something else she very much needed to do. 

Ben slowly pulled away, his eyes heavy. She could tell it took everything he had to pause. 

“My skirts-“ she panted as she found the words. “Pull it all off, cast them aside. I can’t have those beautiful, dark eyes hidden from me for any part of this.”

Ben’s face filled with joy as he realized what she was saying. 

He reached down and ripped off her skirts, casting them aside with the growing mountain of clothing. 

In an instant he was right back where he’d been, arms wrapped around her thighs, face inches from her delicate cunt, his plush lips ready to cover the most sensitive part of her body. 

Rey swallowed hard as she watched him hesitate before diving in. It felt as if his dark eyes ravaged her very soul as his warm tongue dove into her tender folds. 

She moaned deeply as the sensation poured over her. By now she’d spent plenty of time imagining what his mouth might feel like as it covered her in this way…

But _actually feeling ___it- _gods ___it was so much more than anything she could have imagined.

Ben continued to stare up at her as she’d had requested, drinking in the sight of every moan and gasp and twist of her body as his tongue lapped over her cunt. 

He was thankful she’d stopped him, that she’d made sure _nothing ___stood in the way of the gorgeous sight before him.

He too had imagined what this would be like, to touch her and taste and savor her in this way, to see her body reacting to the things his mouth could do to her… 

The sight of it was far more intoxicating than anything his mind could have imagined. 

Somehow, a part of him could sense all she was feeling… much deeper than just observing her reactions with his own his eyes. 

Somehow, he could _feel ___the tension growing within her.

He could _feel ___the waves of pleasure coursing over and through her as his tongue licked and tasted her delicate skin.

He wasn’t sure how it was possible, but their bodies and minds connected in a way that let them know _exactly ___what they were doing to each other…

He began to sense her body tensing as she tumbled towards climax. The bundle of pressure he’d been building was ready to unravel. He made sure to cover her with all the warmth his mouth could give her- licking and sucking and swirling his tongue around her tiny, delicate, bud as she threatened to come undone. 

“Ben I-“ She gasped, gripping handfuls of dark curls. Her thighs shook around him and her body shuddered for a moment as her back arched. 

Suddenly her head fell back, her mouth opening to let out the most heavenly moan his ears had ever heard. 

Ben pressed the back of her thighs to his shoulders, licking into her with everything he had. He needed to feel her fully explode on his mouth, to give into that release he knew her body craved. 

A cascade of moans and screams were released into the forest around them as Rey came apart on his mouth. The sight and sounds that consumed him had his cock rock hard, ready to dive into the heavenly warmth he’d imagined for so long…

 _No- not just yet ___, he told himself, _not just yet ___…

She may need a _bit ___more of what he was doing if she was to fully take all that awaited her…

As Rey came down from her orgasm he pushed himself up, ripping off his boots and undoing his pants to free his erection. He had to allow some relief to the pressure building in his cock.... 

The sight of him made her eyes go wide. He was larger than any man she’d ever been with.

Seeing all that awaited her, she reached up for him to pull him to her. The way her eyes begged made it clear she couldn’t wait to take him 

“Not yet.” He whispered, barely able to resist the urge himself. “There are a few more things I’d like to do to you…”

Rey bit her lip and smiled as she let her arms relax, fully submitted to the fact that this was going to go on as long as his majesty pleased. 

Ben lowered himself again between her thighs, wetting one of his fingers, ready to feel just how tight her body was- to find out how much more it would take to get her where she needed to be... 

He covered her mound with his lips again, kissing into her soft heat. Cautiously he slid a finger in a few seconds later. 

Rey moaned with delight at the needed stimulation.

He couldn’t believe the enticing warmth he found that awaited him. It was clear he didn’t need to be as cautious as he had been. 

His mouth continued working her as he searched for the spot inside he knew he needed to find. He instantly knew he’d found it as he pressed against it, sensing the tension that pushed back. 

_There it is, ___he thought to himself, _that’s what my lady needs. ___

He added a finger and pushed up into it, working her inside and out, building her up to another explosion he so desperately needed to see.

Above him her body began to twist and writhe again. Moans cascaded from her beautiful mouth as she enjoyed all the sensations he was delivering. 

He couldn’t believe how quickly she opened up for him, how thoroughly soaked and ready she was inside to let him have his way with her. 

As beautiful as it was to watch her gripped by the throws of pleasure, he was glad it wouldn’t take much more to get her ready. The way his cock burned to be inside of her let him know he couldn’t take much more of this…. 

Sensing she was ready to come undone again, he dove his two fingers up into her frantically, sucking harder on her clit, curling his fingers and delivering the needed pressure to make her fall apart. 

The way her body begged his fingers to dive further inside… it answered a question he’d been wondering about the whole time, but had been afraid to ask. 

Finally her back arched and her face twisted as explosions of pleasure consumed her. More beautiful screams and moans echoed throughout the forest as she came undone in another heated climax that had her right where he wanted her. 

Feeling how hard her body came on him, how he met with no resistance as he pushed her further and further, one thing became clear. 

“You’re not-“ he uttered without thinking, stopping himself before he finished.

“I don’t believe you are either.” Rey quipped coyly as she came down, somehow having read his thoughts.

The hunger her sly response unleashed in him was exactly what Rey had been hoping for. 

The acknowledgement let him know he was free to do to her all the things he’d so wanted to do. 

He wasn’t about to hold back. 

Ben launched his body up and over her, shoving her legs apart as he brought his cock to her opening. 

As long as he’d waited for this he couldn’t possibly wait a second longer. 

His cock dove into her with a fierceness that satisfied her like nothing in her life ever had. 

The moan it forced out of her, his cock pushing into her beyond anything she’d ever felt, was music to Ben’s ears. 

“Yes!” She gasped as she grasped at his shoulders, rocking her hips forward to allow him to go deeper “Yes Ben I _need ___-“

“I know what you need.” He whispered- almost growled- up into her ear as he began thrusting.

The way his voice purred out of him nearly had her coming undone on it’s own. Rey’s eyes went wide and her head fell back as she submitted to the ecstasy of his cock filling her to her limit.

She wrapped her legs around him as tightly as she could, needing to bring him closer, urging him to dive deeper, to give her even more of all the things he was already giving her. 

Sensing she needed more, Ben reached down and pulled her right leg up, folding her in a way that made his cock hit just the right spot, making her take even more him, just like he somehow knew she needed. 

The intensity of it was everything she’d wanted- Rey’s body rocked below his as she threatened to come undone. Her hands grasped around his back as she did everything she could to pull him closer, to get more and more of the burning ecstasy he was giving her…

For a moment Ben thought he noticed small whisps of light floating in the air around them. 

He didn’t let it distract him as he pushed into her harder, bringing her closer to where she needed to be. 

“That’s it sweetheart.” He urged her “Come for me- come undone on me, I’ve waited so long to feel you-“

“aaaaaAAAHHH!!” Her scream interrupted him as she threw her head back, her body shuddering on him, consumed by the passion and power of her lover doing all he could to satisfy her. 

Ben held his breath as he braced himself over her, his body tensing as he held back from coming himself. The way Rey exploded on him had him nearly losing it as well, and he wasn’t ready for this to be over just yet. 

“Oh my god…“ She panted, her eyes glistening with tears as she came down from it. “That was so, so…”

She looked around as she noticed him looking up. The space around them had indeed begun to fill with light. 

Somehow, the forest around them seemed to glow with the energy of all they were doing.

“What- what’s happening?” Ben gasped as he took in the sight, frozen between wonder and fear, never having seen anything like it. 

Rey knew exactly what was happening. 

She also knew the moment they found themselves in absolutely wasn’t the time to discuss it. 

She brought a hand to his face, guiding him back to stare only at her. 

“Don’t worry about it my love.” She said, her eyes filled with longing and desire. “Ben, don’t let _anything ___distract you from the beauty of this moment.”

It was all he needed to hear. Her flushed face and red lips begging him to come back to her, to focus on all they’d been doing to each other, was all he needed to be pulled back into the frenzy of passion that had all but consumed him moments before. 

As his body curled up over her and began pushing back into her again, Rey worried for a moment he might get distracted again. She knew what she needed to do to make sure that didn’t happen… 

She did something she’d never dared or had a reason to do around him before- and did it with an ease that surprised her. 

She called upon the Earth’s energy to give her a boost in strength as she leaned up and grabbed him by the shoulders, flipping him over to lie below her as she steadied herself on top of him 

Ben stared up at her in amazement, shocked that the tiny woman he’d been ravaging moments before had thrown him over as easily as breathing. 

As he looked up at her painfully beautiful body riding his- the sight of her hips rocking to take him in, her thighs lifting her up and down on him, taking his cock deeper and deeper into her core, her breasts and face and skin _glowing ___with the pleasure of all that it did to her- he knew he was in the midst of something that would blow away any and all memory of whatever sexual experiences had come before.

Whatever was happening, whatever the forest was doing around them, whatever Rey had just done and was continuing to do to him- he wasn’t about to question it. 

Ben leaned back into the mountain of pillows and blankets and clothing below him, gripping her hips with a fierceness as he braced himself below her, ready to watch her loosing herself on him. 

The way her eyes shone down at him, filled with a kind of brilliant power he’d never seen before- a power that connected to something deep within him- somehow it confirmed everything his heart had already known. 

He’d found something in her that made her his true match, the one his heart belonged to above all else, the one his soul was bound to in all things. 

As her hips continued working on him, her body taking more and more of him, his cock hitting just the spot he craved… his mind seemed to empty and his thoughts became clearer as one thing became even more certain than before.

It was everything their bond had tried to tell them since the moment they met... 

He had to be united with her, joined in every way, above all else. 

Not just by marriage and the laws of man, but spiritually- their souls were literally meant to be one. 

The closer they were, the more bonded they were, the more they became their truest selves. 

Suddenly Ben sat up with a quickness that made Rey jump. Without a word he wrapped his arms around her, clinging her body to his and desperately holding her close to him. 

As it happened, she knew immediately what had occurred- He’d realized the power of their bond, and had begun to accept it. 

She wrapped her arms around his shoulders, holding him close as she adjusted her self, wrapping her legs tighter around his waist, continuing to rock and bounce and build the pleasure she’d been working towards before. 

After a moment she leaned back and held her arms around his neck, staring deep into his eyes. 

Ben could feel their souls connecting on a level he didn’t know possible. 

They drank the feeling in for a few moments- the power that coursed through their bodies along with the pleasure of their lovemaking – it was unlike anything either had ever felt. 

Overcome with passion, Ben leaned in and kissed her again, he needed to be so, _so ___close to her in _every ___way....

Rey pulled away from his mouth for a moment, letting him kiss her neck as she whispered in his ear. 

“That’s it sweetheart… give yourself to me in every way, feel the _power ___that’s between us, power that’s been there since the moment we laid eyes on each other. Feel everything it can do to us, everything it can do for us, know that it’s right… above all else.”

Her words soothed him and brought a peace to his soul he didn’t know he needed. Overcome with passion, he began kissing every inch of her skin that he could find a she rocked and bounced on him more and more, pushing him deeper and deeper up into her body, towards a depth of connection neither had imagined possible before this moment... 

As they edged closer to where they needed to be, winds began to swirl around them, the trees above them appeared to sway in rhythm with all they were doing to each other. 

Together they could feel the energy of the earth welling up below them… 

“Oh God REY-“ He moaned as her hips slammed down onto him.

“BEN!“ Rey gasped as she clung to him, riding him with everything she had.

Finally they came together in an explosion of passion and power that made it feel like their very souls had combined. 

The forest appeared to glisten and sparkle around them as the trees and the plants and the very air they breathed came alive, electrified by the energy of their carnal union cementing their bond.

Desperately they clung to each other, moaning through the waves of pleasure that coursed through them, energy that intertwined their souls in a way they didn’t know possible before this moment. 

It was the most beautiful thing either had every experienced, causing tears to stream down their cheeks as they finally began to come down from it. 

After a few moments of holding each other, Ben spun her around and collapsed on top of her, still holding her close with everything that he had. Their bodies were wracked by the power of their shared climax- both thoroughly worn out from all they’d just done to each other.

As Rey lay catching her breath, she soaked up the moment she found herself in- Ben collapsed on top of her, his seed spilling inside of her as the aftershocks of pleasure rippled through him, his face buried in her hair, catching his breath from the impassioned lovemaking that had just rocked them both to their core. 

While all the energies of the forest continued to sing around them, she was certain of one thing above all else…

Ben Tudor was no Catholic.

At least… not as much as he was raised to believe he was.

*****

Throughout that afternoon and evening, an energy that had suddenly and mysteriously built near the palace of the king continued to flow through the woods, out across the land. 

That energy spread faster than the excited words that followed it, whispers of an old power that called to be brought to life again. 

Tribes who’d lived hidden in the woods for many generations picked up on a new rhythm in the energy that surrounded them. 

Something that had been gone for a very long time was ready to be reborn...

*****

That night Rey stood in a brand new nightgown, looking out of a window she’d never looked out of before. 

The stars above appeared to twinkle brighter than she’d ever noticed. 

Looking out to the forested hills in the distance, she could sense how the landscape had begun to come alive. Something about what she and Ben done together had set things in motion that appeared to ripple throughout the countryside... 

She wasn’t sure how she knew, but somehow she was aware of the fact that celebratory bonfires were being lit all over the country in some of the darkest, most hidden spots that the furthest reaches of the land could provide. 

She would have loved to see those celebrations, but knew her place was at the castle, by the side of the man she loved. There truly was no place she’d rather be than where she found herself- by a window in the kings chambers, dreaming of all that lay ahead.

She briefly thought she saw something blue flicker on the edge of the forest, but it disappeared as quickly as she’d noticed it. She searched her memories for a moment about her family’s ways, trying to think of what that could have possibly been a sign of…

Her thoughts were interrupted as the strength of increasingly familiar arms embraced her from behind. 

Rey closed her eyes and leaned into Ben’s warmth as he kissed her neck.

“Are you coming to bed my love or am I going to have to carry you?” He whispered impatiently.

“I suppose I can’t stop you if you carry me.” She teased. 

A mischievous smile flashed across his face for a moment. Before Rey knew what was happening he’d spun her around and reached down, grabbing her by the hips and throwing her up and over his shoulder.

“Ben wha- this isn’t very romantic!” Rey protested.

“You said you wanted to be carried.” He laughed.

“I’ll be careful what I wish for from now on then.” She huffed, unable to keep from breaking out into a highly amused smile. 

She had to admit- it was nice how he liked to take charge. 

Moments later he had her thrown down on the bed. His eyes were filled with that hunger she loved as he pulled off his nightshirt and climbed on top of her. 

“Now… where were we…” He said looking down at her.

“Where were we what?”

“Where were we the last time I finished ravaging you within an inch of your life?”

“I’m sure we can think of something.” She said as she reached up and pulled him to her, ready to resume the lovemaking they’d continued throughout the better part of the day.

*****

At the edge of the woods, where Rey’s gaze had drifted to just moments earlier, a blue translucent form began to take shape. The spirit of Queen Leia Tudor appeared- the ghost of the woman who’d been known as The White Princess in her time. 

A few moments later another form appeared- the spirit of a boy just barely 12 years old. It was her younger brother Luke of York, who’d never lived to adulthood. Luke had been murdered in the Tower of London with their little brother Richard, ending the male line of York princes and leaving Leia the last living heir of her house. 

“Hello little brother.” Leia said, looking down at him. 

“Hello sister.” He smiled up at her, happy to see her again. 

They were the only two of their five siblings able to appear in this manner, having been the only ones to inherit the family tradition of magic. Departed souls appearing in the world of the living took a great amount of power. Only those with the ability to harness the Earth’s energies could achieve it. 

“It looks as though my son has found his other half.” Leia said, smiling out over the moor. 

A part of her had always known this would happen. 

She’d loved Katherine and had supported Han’s plan to ally England with Spain. However, she’d always known Katherine would die young, and thus Ben was meant to find another to rule alongside him. 

One that shared his gifts…

“I knew I’d sensed something important happening…” Luke replied, thinking over all they’d felt happening in the energies of the Earth that day. “But then- what does this mean?” 

Leia glowed slightly brighter as a smile came across her face. The prophecy her own mother had raised her on was set to happen. 

“It means Ben has found his destiny- Magic is ready to awaken in the realm once more.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Stretches my over worked hands from all this typing* Ahhh yes this story is coming along beautifully...
> 
> For anyone who's watched The White Princess and The White Queen, expect some of that history and lore from the show to be woven throughout as we talk about family history and where Ben inherited his magic abilities from. :)
> 
> Side note- Expect a break in updates the next day or so as I rush back to do some much needed work on my other WIP, No One's Ever Really Gone. If you haven't checked that one out yet, there's 80+ chapters of TROS fix it to keep you occupied till the next Dark Rose update in case you need a distraction. 
> 
> Don't worry, I'll have this updated again at least before the week is out. Rey and Ben have plenty to discuss as they plan to start their lives together... luckily for them, it sounds like family is keeping a watchful eye on everything.


	8. Update from the Author

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This was an update I posted when I was having health problems and had to go on hiatus. If you’re reading this I’m back updating now, so feel free to skip to the next chapter! I just kept this up so I could keep all the loving comments from my regular followers. ❤️

Hi readers! 

I just wanted to let you all know that the lack in updates lately has been because some personal health problems have kept me away from writing. I didn’t want you guys to think I’d abandoned this fabulous story so I thought I’d better fill you in on what’s going on. Basically any time I look at a screen for a long period of time I get dizzyness and headaches that make it impossible to get much writing done. It’s something that used to happen a lot when I was pregnant but thankfully that’s not the case this time (I’ve made sure to check lol). 

Know that it’s absolutely *killing* me to be away from the characters and stories I love so much. 😭 As soon as I’m able to I’ll be throwing myself back into writing as much as possible!

If it’s something you believe in, please send me some prayers and good vibes that I feel like my old self again soon. A big thanks to everyone who’s been so supportive of these stories so far. I can’t wait to be back sharing updates with you again as soon as I’m up to it! 

Reylo forever! ❤️💙🦋💫  
-Gina aka Thirstorder3987


	9. Promises

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hey readers, I'm back! I got some medicine for the screen time dizziness I'd been experiencing and now all is back to normal. Yay!
> 
> As for where we'll dive back in- let's get back to right where we left these two.
> 
> Ben and Rey wake to their first day as an engaged couple. Plenty lies ahead as they get ready to start their lives together...
> 
> I got brave and attempted an edit of my own of these two. I hope you guys like it!

The next morning Ben lay wide awake, enjoying the sight of Rey still sleeping on his chest. The warmth of her body cuddled up to him had him feeling more at peace than he’d felt in some time. 

His mind was filled with the thoughts of all they had felt during their time in the woods, as well as over the past day and night together. Rey had been the only one to voice it so far, but they both knew how strongly they’d both felt it… 

Something about their bond made it clear when they were on the same page.

A flood of memories began to fill his mind as things he kept locked away for most of his life came back to him. It was one of many dams that had broken in his soul since Rey had come into his life. Somehow, her presence had a way of making things fit that had never made sense before.

Things he’d sensed since he was young but had never been able to talk about… 

His mother was the first and only person he’d spoken to about them, when he was around five or six years old. Somehow he’d known she’d be the one to help him understand. And yet, for some reason she’d seemed afraid of the subject as soon as he brought it up. Something had held her back…

Instead of helping him understand, she told him never to talk to anyone but her about it. 

“Promise me, Ben- Promise mommy you’ll never ask anyone else about this? You’ll only keep this between you and me?” She’d asked with fearful eyes. 

Ben had promised and done as he’d been told. 

The older Ben became the more he’d grown to understand. It was clear such gifts couldn’t be spoken about. They related to practices that had been forbidden for longer than anyone remembered. 

As he lay there with Rey, thinking of all they’d made happen together, for the first time in his life he began to regret never having asked his mother about it a second time. The fear he’d seen in her eyes that his questions had caused, he’d never wanted to ask about it again. 

Much as she tried to hide it, fear was something he was used to seeing in his mother’s eyes. She’d lost nearly everyone she’d known at a young age. Her entire family had been slaughtered around her while Ben’s father took the throne. Marrying his father had been the one thing that saved her life. It also saved the country, as their marriage ended civil wars that had raged between the two families for longer than anyone cared to remember. 

Of course it had always been clear how much his father had fallen in love with her once they married. Han’s devotion to his wife was never in question. From an arranged match had blossomed one of the most beautiful love stories the country had ever seen, one that Ben had been blessed to grow up in the shadow of. 

Still, the safety of a marriage and love of king couldn’t save her from the fear that came with joining the family who’d brought down her own. Leia’s mother in law Margaret had always made sure to remind her of that.

The last thing Ben had wanted as a child was to give his mother more reasons to be afraid, thus his questions about special things he sensed and noticed were always kept to himself.

As he remembered that early conversation with his mother, it made him wonder how Rey had been so comfortable with what had happened in the woods…

How had she had any idea what was going on? 

There were rumors of those who still lived in the remote parts of the land… Those that still practiced the old ways… 

Rey clearly wasn’t someone who’d come from such a place. 

As he thought of her family, that didn’t seem to fit either. Unkar Boleyn was about as far from the kind of person his mother had been as he could imagine. If Rey had inherited anything like he had from his own mother, it must have been from her mother who’d passed.

As he thought more on all they’d experienced in the woods, he couldn’t help but wonder… 

What could have come from all that energy? 

Looking at Rey’s beautiful naked body curled up into him, the sheets wrapped around her waist, his eyes were naturally drawn to her perfectly flat belly. 

He couldn’t imagine it happening that fast... It had always been a struggle before… 

And yet, this was nothing like anything he’d ever known. 

He couldn’t help but be curious... 

After trying to shake the thought for several minutes, his curiosity finally became too much. He had to reach out and see if he sensed anything there. He wasn’t sure how he knew, but somehow he knew he’d be able to tell if anything more had come from their lovemaking than just explosions of ecstasy or beautiful sights in the woods. 

As quietly and gently as he could, he reached down and covered her belly with his right hand. The moment he did, he realized Rey had been more awake than she’d let on.

“What are you doing?” She groaned, her eyes still closed. 

“I hope you’re pregnant already.” He blurted out, unable to contain himself at the thought. 

“Ben!” She scolded, now fully awake.

Ben laughed. His mischievousness was a side of him she hadn’t seen before- a side of him he’d kept hidden until they were truly able to be together. Rey couldn’t wait to see more of it. 

“With all we’ve done in the past 24 hours there is a very solid chance of that…” She sighed as the reality sank in. She hadn’t had any form of birth control since leaving her time. By now she was sure any traces of the pill in her system had worn off some time ago.

Ben smiled proudly, knowing better than to say anything. He’d done all he needed to do to ensure the royal line continued. The rest was in the hands of fate. 

Rey snuggled into his chest as she looked up at him. “Don’t you want to have a bit of fun together before we jump into all of that?” 

“Oh of course, but- well, what better way to push for a quick wedding?”

Rey stared up at him blankly for a moment. “You do know we can schedule a wedding quickly with or without a little one on the way?”

“I guess so, but… I prefer breaking the rules more. It’s more fun that way.” 

“I had thought I’d picked up on that…” Suddenly she had a mischievous thought of her own “Speaking of weddings and rule breaking, since we’re not married yet does all we’ve done technically make me your mistress?”

“I believe _technically ___you’re my fiancé since you said yes to my proposal.”

“Darn… I guess the court won’t be getting their scandal after all.”

“Trust me they’re likely to invent one either way.”

“Best of luck to them then.” Rey smiled. “I can’t wait to hear what they come up with.”

“Speaking of your favorite people at court, the Cardinal should be back from Rome today.”

“Snoke?” A sense of dread came over her as she said the name. 

“Yes, Cardinal Snoke.” Ben couldn’t help but chuckle at how drearily she said his name. “I can tell he’s not your favorite person, but he has been my friend and mentor since I was very young. He was one of my strongest supporters in my early years as king. I’m not sure how I’d have made it through that time without him. Do try and welcome him back to court, for me?”

“I’ll do my best.” She lied. 

“Thank you.” He kissed her on the forehead.

When she’d first arrived at court, Rey had been amused to see a much older, feebler looking man had replaced Cardinal Wolsey. It didn’t take long for her to sense the truth of Wolsey’s replacement however. What Snoke lacked in physical strength he made up for in mental cunning and brutality towards anyone that dared oppose him. 

As she tried to think of something to change the subject, the logistics of all that lay ahead began hit Rey.

“Since we were on the subject of a quick wedding, have you made plans to talk to my family yet?”

“No, but it will all get sorted out soon enough.”

“I’m sure it won’t be any bother.” Rey sighed. “My father is a simple man and very easy to please.”

“You haven’t made him sound very simple.”

“ _People ___are simple. _Families ___however rarely are.”

Ben laughed. “That I understand more than you know.”

“I bet you do…”

Suddenly a knock was heard at the door. 

Ben sighed. “That will be the servants ready to start the day.” He raised his voice to make sure those on the other side of the door heard him. “Just give us… fifteen, tweenty minutes!”

“Of course your grace!” Was the response. 

Rey pulled the covers up around her as she looked at Ben skeptically. “So I take it they know I’m here?”

“Trust me, they don’t miss much. You didn’t think you’d get out of here this late in the morning without anyone noticing, did you?”

“I hadn’t really considered it, no…. what was it you wanted twenty minutes for?”

A devilish smile crept across Ben’s face. “Well… since you weren’t _totally ___convinced if you were carrying a little Tudor prince or princess yet, I figured we’d better give it another go….”

Rey had absolutely no problem taking him up on the offer.

*****

The moment Charles spotted his friend in court that morning he noticed the immediate change. Ben was no longer the shadow of a man he’d seen over the past month. He appeared to have been reborn over night, having the unmistakable glow of a man who’d indulged in a fair amount of lovemaking over the past day or so.

“Took you two long enough.” He said, greeting his friend for the first time in a month.

“The best things in life are worth waiting for, Charles.” Ben winked.

“That good, huh?” 

“ _Better ___.” He smiled proudly.

Charles looked around the court, shocked by what he’d just heard. Being best friends he knew as well as anyone that the king had his fair share of exploits in his early years. If he was as mind blown as he appeared to be, Rey must have been a goddess among woman in bed. 

“Perhaps I should find myself a Boleyn girl... Do you know if she has any sisters?”

Ben scoffed. “One. Her name is Mary. If she’s anything like the rest of the family you’ll more than have your work cut out for you.”

Charles grinned. “I do like a challenge…”

Ben side eyed him for a moment. “Now that I think of it, you two might be perfect for each other. I’ll make sure Rey invites her to walk with us in the gardens this afternoon, that is if you’re free to join us.”

“Now that is more like it.” Charles said, patting his friend on the shoulder. “The old Ben is back, court won’t know what hit them.”

“Or perhaps a new one….” Ben beamed as he spotted Rey enter the great hall. She instantly met his gaze and broke into a smile of her own. 

“A new one indeed…” Charles noted. “Something I’m sure we all can’t wait to see.”

*****

Later that afternoon, Rey could tell her sister Mary was doing her best to contain her excitement. She’d never personally spoken with the king and now found herself walking with in the gardens with him and her sister. On top of that, she was about to be introduced to one of the King’s closest friends-one she’d had her eye on for some time. 

Mary’s fortunes appeared to have changed overnight, and all thanks to her sister who’d not-so-mysteriously disappeared for a solid 24 hours immediately following the king’s coming out of mourning. 

Rey noticed Charles making his way towards them, as well as how Mary’s jaw tightened as she did her best to hold back from smiling too much.

“Good afternoon ladies, your grace.” He said greeting them. 

“Charles, so glad you could join us…” The hint of mischief Ben has in his voice when his friend was around was a side of Ben Rey loved seeing. “Of course you’ve met Rey. This is her sister- Lady Mary Boleyn.”

“I’m delighted to meet you, Lady Mary. How is it I’ve missed such a beautiful gem at court?”

“Perhaps you weren’t being mindful of your surroundings…” Mary teased, “An easy mistake to make in a court as spectacular as his majesty’s.”

Charles grinned at the wit of her quick reply. “I’ll be sure not to make that mistake again.”

 _It’s about time someone brought him down to earth ___…

Rey’s gaze snapped to Ben as she heard him speak- she was shocked to notice his mouth wasn’t moving. Had she heard his thoughts? That was certainly new…

“So tell me, Lady Mary…” Charles went on “How have you enjoyed your time at court so far?”

“It’s been marvelous. Rey and I spent several years at court in France when our father was an envoy there. I must say I very much prefer this one.”

 _She does know all the right things to say ___… Rey thought to herself. Moments later she noticed Ben smiling at her. Had he heard her thoughts as well? One more thing to figure out on top of the lifetime that lay ahead…

“Preferring England to France?” Charles scoffed. “I would certainly hope so.”

“That’s fair of her to say, Charles.” Ben spoke up. “All of Europe seems to think French court is the end and beginning of all things. If Mary prefers how we do things, I’m delighted to hear it.”

“That’s just it.” Mary said. “The French seem so assured of their superiority to the rest of the world it’s exhausting. Every day there felt like a never ending charade of French ego, doing it’s best to out-do whatever it had done the day before. Here in England, people are a bit more focused on things that really matter. It’s refreshing.”

“The things that really matter…” Charles smiled. “What would those be, if you don’t mind me asking?”

“I don’t mind at all. Things like- time spent with others- enjoying the outdoors, taking walks on a beautiful day like we’re doing now. People seem to appreciate the community we have here, rather than trying to see who can out do each other and by how much.”

“You think English court has a strong sense of community?” Rey couldn’t help but blurt that out. It felt a bit ironic, considering all she’d seen.

Mary smiled, not phased one bit by the question. “It’s there, you just have to know where to look for it.”

“You mean- being mindful one one’s surroundings?” Charles asked coyly.

“Precisely.” Mary smiled. 

Charles couldn’t help but smile as she did. 

Rey bit her lip as she looked back at Ben. She could sense the same joy coming from him. Their happiness had brought two people they cared about together. Both could only hope it would continue to go as well as it appeared to be... 

Ben’s gaze was drawn away as he spotted Princess Mary’s governess bringing her to them in the distance. 

“Alright you two, you’ll have to excuse us for a bit. Rey and I have other business to attend to.”

“I thought you’d never ask.” Charles flashed a devilish smile as he offered Mary his arm to follow him elsewhere.

Mary beamed as she took his arm, not saying a word.

“I have heard the Rose garden is exquisite as of late, shall we head that way?” Charles asked.

“Sounds like a wonderful plan.” Mary replied.

Together the two happily headed to the rose garden, clearly eager to leave those who’d introduced them behind.

“Well _that ___went well.” Rey said once they were out of earshot.

“A little too well.” A look of concern came over Ben’s face as they watched them disappear behind the tall hedges that framed the rose garden.

“You’re not worried for my poor little sister, are you?” Rey said taking his hand. His concern for her sister was heartwarming. 

“Have you _met ___Charles?”

“Yes… and knowing my sister I think he’s the one we should be more worried about.”

Ben smiled. “Fair point. That is why we introduced them, isn’t it?”

“Indeed it is. We make a good team, you and I.”

“That we do....” Ben squeezed her hand, happy to have found such a perfect partner in life. “Are you ready for this next one?” 

Rey looked back towards Mary and her governess who were quickly approaching. “I haven’t stopped thinking about it since we woke up.”

“You’ll do just fine.” He assured her, clearly sensing she was nervous. “Mary already told me she can’t wait to see you. She hasn’t had a lot to brighten her spirits in a while. This will be just what she needed.”

“I sure hope so…” Rey took a deep breath as Mary skipped towards them.

“Papa!” She cheered jumping into her father’s arms.

“There’s my beautiful girl!” Ben lifted her up and shifted her to the side to face Rey. “Sweetheart, you haven’t had the chance to see Lady Rey in a while. Can you say hello?”

“Hello Lady Rey.” The time they’d spent together before her mother’s death had helped warm Mary up to Rey’s presence. 

“Hello Mary” Rey was glad to see the past month apart hadn’t made Mary forget her. “I brought you a special surprise today. Would you like to see what it is?”

Mary smiled as she nodded yes.

Rey reached into a bag she’d brought with her. She brought out a doll wearing a dress that matched one of Mary’s- her favorite from what Ben had told her. Mary’s eyes went wide with wonder at the doll. It had long dark curls that matched her own. The hem had an intricate embroidered M, framed by roses that trailed around the bottom of the dress. 

As a princess Mary had received her fair share of gifts, but this was something truly special- a gift of the heart. 

Rey gathered her courage as she thought of what to say next. “I missed you quite a bit over this past month and I know what a hard time it’s been for you and your papa since your momma went to heaven. My own momma went to heaven years ago and I know how lonely that can be. I wanted to make sure you had a special friend with you always so you know you’re never alone.”

Mary hugged the doll tightly, the sight filing Rey’s heart with emotion. 

“Oh Mary, I missed you so much and thought about you constantly while you and your father were away. Whenever I’d miss you, I’d work on this dress for your doll. I wanted to make sure you had something special when I saw you again.” 

Just then Mary surprised her by reaching out for a hug. Rey gladly took her as Ben handed her over. 

“Thank you Lady Rey.” Mary said as her tiny arms wrapped around her neck, the doll cradled to her chest between them.

“You’re so welcome sweetheart.” Rey hugged her back tightly, doing her best to hold back tears.

Ben beamed as he took in the sight. The two people he cared about most in the world had connected just as he’d hoped- just as he’d known they would.

After a few moments Rey realized holding a five year old was much harder than she’d expected. She couldn’t believe how heavy such a small child could be.

“Would you mind if I handed you back to your papa sweet girl? I think he’s much more suited for carrying you than I am.”

Ben laughed as he took her back. “Children are a lot heavier than they look.”

“You’re telling me…”

“Look papa!” Mary proudly held up the doll for him to see. “It has an M for Mary! And Tudor roses!”

“I see! What a lovely gift. Lady Rey must have worked very hard on it.” Ben smiled at her as he turned to lead them toward a more secluded part of the garden where they could be alone, just the three of them. Rey’s heart quickened as she thought of what was coming next. 

As they walked through a grove of trees, Ben found a bench for them to sit on with Mary between them. As soon as they sat down he and Rey looked up at each other- it was the same spot where they’d sat on their first walk together. It felt more than a little serendipitous.

“Sweetheart…” Ben said looking down at Mary. “I have an important question to ask you.” 

“Yes, papa?”

Ben cleared his throat. Rey could tell he too had become overwhelmed with the same nerves she’d had. 

“You know how you and I have been very lonely since your momma got sick and went to be with the angels? No one could replace what a special woman your momma was nor would they try to, but it is clear we need someone to take care of us, like how momma used to do. How would you feel if Lady Rey came to be part of our family?”

Mary looked up at Rey for a moment surprised by the question. After a bit she looked at her father, and shyly nodded yes.

“You’d like that?” Ben broke into the biggest smile.

“I’d like that very much.” Mary said smiling.

Tears fell down Rey’s cheeks as she broke into a smile of her own. 

“Oh Mary, that makes me so very happy to hear, thank you!”

Mary reached out to hug her again, a hug Rey gladly returned. As Ben wrapped his arms around the two of them Rey instinctively laid her head on his shoulder. It was the most complete any of them had felt in quite a while. 

Rey could no longer hold back the tears that continued falling down her cheeks as she ran her hands through Mary’s hair. The three of them held on to each other for several moments, reveling in the experience of hugging as a family for the first time. 

Mary popped her head up as a thought struck her. “Papa can I show Lady Rey my swans?”

“Of course you can sweetheart.” Ben laughed. “Do you want to go show her now?”

“Yes!” Seconds later she was up and skipping down the path. Ben and Rey quickly followed, doing their best to keep up. 

“Don’t worry-” Ben whispered to Rey, making sure Mary didn’t hear. “You’ll get used to it eventually- the never ending energy.”

Rey laughed as she watched Mary skipping in front of them. “I can’t wait.”

Minutes later they were walking around the pond together. Mary had pointed out all the swans, and proudly informed Rey of their names. Rey wasn’t quite sure how she could tell the identical animals apart, but she knew better than to question the logic of a five year old.

Suddenly a look of curiosity came over Mary.

“Papa, is Lady Rey going to make your shirts like momma used to?”

Rey laughed. “I suppose I can if he needs new shirts.”

Mary looked up at her, thinking over all the things she’d need from Rey if she were truly to become part of their family. 

“Can you speak Spanish?”

Rey looked up at Ben unsure what to say at first. She instantly realized why that would be important to Mary in a mother figure. “I don’t speak much Spanish but I learned a little when I was young. Perhaps we can work on it together?”

“Ya veremos.” Mary replied. 

Ben laughed. “There’s that sharp wit I told you about.”

Rey smiled as she looked down at Mary. “De verdad, princesa.” She replied. 

Mary smiled the biggest smile Rey had seen from her as words from her mother’s native tongue came from her soon to be stepmother.

As Rey looked back at Ben, he was as shocked as she was by how she’d responded.

“I thought you said you didn’t speak Spanish?” Ben asked skeptically. 

Rey was at a loss as she thought of how to explain it. “Perhaps I remember more than I thought.”

*****

Later that evening Rey braced herself as she returned to her family’s apartments. She wasn’t quite sure what awaited her there but knew she had no choice but to return eventually. 

As she entered the living area her father, Hux, and Mary were all sitting by the fire.

“Well, look who has returned to us!” Unkar said, suddenly unnervingly cheerful. Rey didn’t have to wonder why. “The servants told me you returned sometime late this morning but I was already out. I’d reprimand you for having us up all night worrying about where you were but I believe we’re all past that at this point. Mary told us you had a marvelous time in the gardens today. Would you care to tell your father and brother about it?”

“I’m sure I’d rather hear Mary’s version of it.” Rey smiled at her sister. “I would love to hear how things went with Charles in the rose garden.” 

Hux rolled his eyes. Unkar still had the giddy look of satisfaction that made it clear he was up for whatever news his daughters had, as long as it involved hearing about their time with the King and duke. 

Mary smiled back at Rey as she sat to join them. “Well the duke seemed very grateful for how much light you appear to have brought back into the king’s life. He wondered if that might be a talent that ran in families. I assured him I’d do my best to see that it was.”

Unkar looked positively ecstatic at the news. One daughter already involved with the King, another set to romance a Duke- it was all he’d ever hoped for. Rey could see the wheels turning in both his and Hux’s minds as they considered the potential of their futures. 

“So…” Unkar said looking towards Rey as he clasped his hands together in excitement. “You friendship with the king has led to your sister being approached for courtship by a Duke? Will the rest of your family be receiving such generosity or are these privileges only reserved for the women of the house?”

Hux was looking at Rey skeptically, unsure how she’d react. 

Finally Rey smiled as friendly of a smile as she could muster. Much as she hated it, they would be benefiting from her relationship with the king. That couldn’t be avoided. She might as well play along for the time being so they didn’t find any reason to cause trouble for her. 

“Father, I can assure you, you will be receiving your own generosities in time. Sooner than later from what the king has told me.”

Finally Hux couldn’t hold back any longer. “We _know ___.” He said dryly.

“You what?” Rey wasn’t sure what he meant.

“We know everything, sister. Riding out with the king yesterday. Not returning for the better part of a day. Immediately retiring afterwards… It’s not hard to put two and two together. Don’t think we haven’t paid off servants to keep an eye on you.” Hux sounded positively put out for having to explain it all. 

“Indeed.” Unkar couldn’t hold back laughter. “After all that it hardly came as a surprise when we got summons of our own this evening to meet with the king tomorrow. You can go ahead and stop pretending like this friendship is just a friendship. We know very well where this is heading and frankly we couldn’t be more pleased.”

Rey sighed realizing for the first time in months she didn’t have to explain herself to them. She couldn’t help but be a little relived by the unusual feeling.

“In that case there’s no need to make excuses... I’ll just be getting a few things then going. Give my maid the night off, I wont be needing her until the morning.” With that Rey turned to leave the room.

“I imagine not where you’re going.” Hux scoffed.

She didn’t turn to acknowledge him. The last thing she wanted was her cheeky brother realizing such a scandalous accusation had made her smile.

*****

Rey collapsed onto Ben’s chest as they both caught their breath.

“That’s certainly never going to get old.” He grinned proudly.

“I would hope not.” Rey smiled, rolling over to lie next to him. “I do believe you’ve signed up for life my dear.”

“The best decision I’ve ever made.” He sighed as he brought her left hand up to kiss the ring he’d put on her finger just a day before. 

“Speaking of making decisions…” Rey knew she’d need to bring this up sooner than later. “When should we talk about… the things we saw in the woods? All that’s been happening to us?” 

Ben looked at her a little startled for a moment. Truth be told he wanted to talk about it as soon as possible, just not when they were anywhere near the castle. Castle walls had a way of making him feel as if there could always be someone listening.

“It feels a bit late to get into that now...” Ben said swallowing hard. “Perhaps we could ride out tomorrow and talk about it, once we’re away from the castle?”

Rey instantly sensed why that would be a good idea. Being in nature somehow made things clearer. 

“Of course.” She said taking his hand and kissing it. “Tomorrow...”

They lay in silence together for a bit as they thought over all that lay ahead. 

“Goodnight my love.” Ben finally said, kissing her on the forehead. 

“Goodnight sweetheart.” Rey said snuggling into his chest. 

A few minutes later Rey felt Ben’s breathing slow as he began drifting off to sleep. 

She laid there for a bit with her eyes closed, failing to will herself to sleep. The thoughts that had begun to swirl through her mind made falling asleep impossible. 

She couldn’t help but think about her own family she’d left behind in her time. Speaking with little Mary that day brought up a lot of things that had weighed heavily on her heart since she had first been thrown into in this new lifetime... 

The pain of losing her own mother was nothing new, but nothing could hold back the pain of wondering if the rest of her family was still living in another time. 

It was clear the lightning bolt that hit the portal had scrambled history a good bit, or sent her to an alternate universe- but what had it done to the future she came from? 

And if she were in another universe- was it even possible to return to her own?

Trying to survive while getting used to a new historic timeline had been hard enough. The thought of what may lay in store for her if and when she found a way to travel back to her own time had been too much to stomach at first. 

Only recently had she begun allowing herself to entertain the thought…

The more she had to deal with the machinations of her new family, the harder it had been to hold back the pain and grief of wondering if she’d ever see her real family again. Ben had been the one thing that helped her get through it- the one thing that had kept her from losing her mind upon finding herself in a place and time she didn’t recognize. 

Something about his presence made it clear she was meant to be here… being around him, she felt more at home than she ever had at any point in her life. 

Whatever it was that had caused her to end up here, there was clearly some kind of purpose to it. Ben and the promise of a future with him had been the one thing that kept her from running as fast as she could away from where she found herself, searching the country side for any clue as to how she could find a way home. 

She smirked to herself as she thought of what that might have looked like… a woman traveling alone in the 1500s through the country side in search of signs of an old religion… 

Literally _nothing ___about that could have gone well.

Indeed, her place for now was here with Ben. She just needed to be patient enough to see what else fate had in store… 

As much as it didn’t help anything to dwell on things she couldn’t change, the natural grief that consumed her heart for a family she might never see again at times was overwhelming.

In the privacy of her own chambers, she could cry herself to sleep about it whenever the feeling became too much. 

However, now that she found herself sharing a bed with the man she loved, she didn’t dare… at least not until she was sure he was sound asleep.

Rey lay snuggled up to Ben for a while. As their bond strengthened she'd begun to recognize his different energies… she could sense when his mind had gone deep enough into sleep that she was unlikely to wake him. 

Once she sensed he was there, she slowly pulled away and turned over, facing away from him so she could let the tears fall. 

She’d grieved the loss of her family enough by now to know this wouldn’t last long… a few minutes of crying and she’d be ready to drift off to sleep.

Except this time… it didn’t last just a few minutes.

As she allowed herself to let go and let her emotions focus on her family, new thoughts arose in her mind.

She had so many new reasons to miss them… 

A wedding they would never get to see and may never get to hear about…

The promise of children she may have that they’d never get to meet… 

Missing them when she’d been alone was one thing. Missing them now that she had a life she’d have loved to share with them suddenly became a whole other matter.

The notion of time travelers finding another life in another time wasn’t a new one, but those who’d come before Rey had had the opportunity to visit their families whenever they’d wanted. Their families knew full and well what was going on, and would be able to deliver cover stories to friends about how they’d gone to live abroad to explain their long periods of absence. 

Rey’s family would have been left to wonder why she’d never come back to them… 

Were they scared for her? Did they think she’d left them on purpose? Did they head to other times to she if she ended up somewhere else? There were too many possibilities to consider… all of which possibly meant nothing since there was still the worst possibility of all… 

The possibility that her own time had been changed from the past being altered… the very real possibility that her family no longer existed at all. 

All at once it became too much. Tears continued to stream down Rey’s face as her mind was overwhelmed by the truth that she’d found a life more beautiful than any she could have imagined- yet finding it may have cost her ever seeing her family again. 

She buried her face in a pillow as she cried, doing her best to muffle the noise of her tears…

At the same moment Ben found himself deep in the midst of a dream, walking through a dark forest filled with faces of family members that had passed away. 

He wasn’t sure how he recognized all of them. His mother was the only one he’d known, but somehow he knew everyone that stood with her…

His uncle Luke of York, a young boy with blonde hair, stood next to her. 

With his mother and uncle stood their mother, Queen Elizabeth of York, born Elizabeth Woodville. 

Next to her stood several of her siblings, as well as her own mother, Jaquetta.

A whole line of Yorks stood before him, smiling as if they’d waited to meet him like this for a long time…

Somehow he knew exactly who they were, and that they’d come to help him.

The peace that their presence gave him seemed to melt away all the fears he’d carried since he’d first become king… 

Seeing them like this soothed his mind in a way he didn’t know possible. 

The reassurance of their presence was interrupted as his heart was gripped with panic. From somewhere far away he could hear the faint sound of Rey crying. All other thoughts vanished as he knew he had to get to her immediately. 

Without a word he turned around and sprinted as fast as he could through the woods…

Past rows of trees… 

Past darkness and shadows… 

Up and up and up through several layers of conciseness- until he finally awoke in his bed.

Next to him Rey was sniffling as she cried softly into a pillow. 

“Sweetheart what’s wrong?!” He asked sitting up and putting a hand on her shoulder, wondering what could have come over her. 

Rey dried her tears as quickly as she could. “It’s nothing. It’s just….” She took a deep breath as she calmed herself, trying to think of what to say.

After a few moments she turned to look at him. “Its just that…. I can’t remember a time I was ever so happy as you’ve made me.”

Ben’s concern broke into the sweetest of smiles as the words warmed his heart. 

“I know exactly what you mean.” He said, bushing her hair out of her face and wiping a few stray tears from her cheeks. “You had better get used to it because I intend to make you the happiest woman in the world.”

Rey glowed as she smiled up at him, feeling the depth of the promise he’d just made to her. “You already have.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1.) I've shipped Mary and Charles since first watching the Tudors many years ago and couldn't resist putting them in this story together. 
> 
> 2.) I'm sure somewhere King Han is smiling down at his future daughter in law saying "Sure thing, Princess" to his granddaughter when she tried to be sassy.
> 
> 3.) The Yorks are back in town! For those that have seen The White Queen and The White Princess, you've probably guessed why I chose who I chose to show up. For those that haven't, we'll get to find that out in the next few chapters... :)
> 
> So excited to be back! Thanks again to everyone who left sweet messages of support while I had to take a break. ❤️


	10. Honesty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben and Rey open up to each other about all the things they’ve been experiencing since they first met. The relief of sharing the deepest parts of themselves has them feeling even more connected than they ever have before. 
> 
> **Suggested listening**  
>  Here's some magical woodsy ambiance to listen to as you read. Hope it helps set the mood! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sqs5lyQxpmA&t=126s
> 
> Also here's a manip I did of our OTP getting ready for another cozy night together. 
> 
>   
>    
> A big thank you to www.natalie-dormer.com for making their huge gallery of high-res Tudors images available! Expect lots more manips in the future!

When the time came to ride out, Ben and Rey couldn’t wait to be away from court together. The further Whisper and Silence’s hooves carried them from the castle, the closer they felt to where they needed to be- surrounded by trees and the freedom the wilderness gave them. The feeling of being in nature together calmed souls in a way few things in life did. 

This time they decided to ride deeper into the heart of the forest than either had ever been together. Though they were still within the safety of royal lands, they wanted to make sure they were as far away from civilization as they could be. 

Somehow they knew when they’d arrived at a stopping point. Things just felt _right ___. The air was lighter and the energies that flowed through the woods let them know they’d found a place where they could safely discuss whatever they wanted. They spread out a blanket together in the clearing they’d come to and got comfortable.

For a moment they stared at each other, unsure who should speak first. Rey figured since she was from a more accepting time, she’d better be the one to start. 

“First things first... Tell me all that you know about the things we’ve been experiencing together.”

Ben took deep breath; grateful she’d been the first to voice it again. Rey was the first person he’d spoken to about these things since speaking to his mother as a child. Though he knew he could trust her with his life, the feeling of opening up about such things was still an unfamiliar one. 

“Not very much…” He began. “Other than the fact that they’re related to practices that have long been forbidden. When I was a child, around Mary’s age, I tried asking my mother about some of the things I’d sensed. She made me promise never to talk to anyone about it but her. The fear I saw in her eyes told me all I needed to know. I never asked her or anyone about it ever again.”

Rey’s heart broke for Ben as she realized how he’d kept such a large part of himself totally hidden from the world for so long. In that moment she began to understand a little of why fate had brought her to him- he needed someone to help him understand who he was, and how to become all that he could be. 

“So no one’s ever told you about your gifts… where they come from, why they exist?”

“Gifts…” He smiled. “It’s wonderful to hear you refer to it that way. It’s always felt a bit more like a curse than a gift.”

Rey took Ben’s hand and looked deep into his eyes with what she said next. She realized he needed to hear something her mother had told her many times throughout her life. 

“Make no mistake, Ben- the powers we both feel inside of us truly are gifts. They’re the greatest gifts creation can give anyone, gifts the universe only gives to a select number of people. The world we live in may not treat them that way, but that’s what they are. They're gifts to help guard and protect the Earth’s energies, as well as those that need the protection of higher powers.”

“Higher powers…” It was odd to hear her use such terms when referring to the parts of himself he’d tried to keep hidden away. “You mean like God?”

“Not exactly.” Rey smiled. “Not the monastic Christian God you were raised with. Higher powers that…” She paused as she came to the part that was most forbidden. “Higher powers that were once worshipped and understood throughout this land for many generations, but were forgotten by most people when Christianity forbid them and tried to wipe them out.”

It was the first time either had spoken plainly about the matter out loud. Rey figured she’d better go on to make sure she and Ben were on the same page. 

“I’ve done a good bit of reading on your family, as well as heard all kinds of family history from courtiers during my time at court. I’m sure it’s no secret to you there have been rumors your mother and grandmother had gifts of their own. I imagine those rumors existed for a reason. Though they may have been taken and twisted by those seeking to work against them, it’s my sense there may have been some truth to them originally.”

Ben looked like he’d been caught in something as he looked back at her. Her words brought up a truth he’d tried to run from his whole life. 

His mother’s bloodline had cemented the Yorks firmly as part of the Tudor legacy. With that had come the rumors that the Woodville line that was part of that branch of Yorks had a secret they kept from the world- powers related to forbidden practices no one dared discuss anywhere other than behind the privacy of closed doors. 

“I also sense there may be more to what I’m saying than what you’ve shared with me…” Rey said, recognizing the conflict in his eyes. 

“It’s true…” He said. The act of admitting it felt like a weight had finally been lifted from his shoulders. “All of it. Inheriting the gift from my mother, the line of her family she inherited it from. It’s all true. I always sensed it but- a dream I had last night proved what I’d been suspecting my entire life.”

“Oh?” The news of powerful dreams was a good sign. “What did you dream about?”

“I was walking through a dark forest at night. It was filled with family members who’d passed away- those you mentioned, and a few others. My mother and her younger brother… her mother, some of her siblings… It was my sense that those that appeared to me shared the same gifts that I have.”

“Magic.” Rey finally had the courage to say the word out loud. “Don’t be afraid to refer to it for what it is. Magic is as much a part of you and me as the air we breathe.” The love in her eyes as she said the words let Ben know this was very much something they were destined to discover together. 

“Magic…” He couldn’t help but smile as he said it. Saying it should have made him fearful, but it felt like a welcome relief. He was finally able to name a part of himself he’d kept hidden away as long as he could remember. “The power we both feel, what’s drawn us to each other since the moment we first saw each other...”

“Exactly.” Hearing him finally say the word warmed Rey’s heart. “Did your family tell you anything? In your dream?” She was curious to know what else the dream had revealed. 

“It felt like they’d come to help me, but I left immediately, before they had a chance to say anything.”

“Why?” She couldn’t help but ask.

“I heard you crying from inside my dream. I had to get back to you right away to see what was wrong.”

Suddenly it was Rey’s eyes that became fearful. Ben knew it was his turn to make sure she shared the truth of all that was on her mind. 

“Was there anything else you needed to talk about… about whatever was upsetting you last night?”

Rey’s heart began to race as she looked off into the woods. Part of her knew it was time to tell Ben the truth. Though her heart knew it, her head still feared what might happen once she admitted everything she’d been keeping from him. 

Seeing her hesitation, Ben knew he needed to press further. 

“You know you can share anything with me Rey- whatever’s weighing on your heart, you don’t need to carry it alone. Something tells me it has to do with how you seem to know a lot more about all of this than I do.”

Her gaze snapped back to him as the truth of his words hit her. The fact that he’d sensed it so clearly gave her the reassurance she needed. It was time open her heart to him fully, in all things.

“You’d be right about that.” She took a deep breath. “The reason I appear to be more comfortable talking about these things… is that I’m from a time when it’s much more acceptable to discuss them openly. Well, some parts of it. A lot of it still remains very much hidden.”

Ben looked understandably confused as he stared back at her for a moment. “What do you mean… A time?”

“This is going to sound a bit… insane… but…” She knew there was no escaping it. She needed to come out and say it. “A time different than this one. I was born into a different time than the one you were born to.”

“You’re going to need to be a bit more specific.” Ben could tell what she was getting at, but he needed to hear the full explanation from her. 

Rey tried to think of where to begin... At the beginning, she thought, that would be the best place to start. 

“I was born in the year nineteen ninety seven.” 

He stared at her like she’d begun speaking a foreign language. “Did you say _nineteen ___?”

“Yes.” The word caught in her throat as her chest began to tighten. 

“You’re telling me you were born _four ___, almost _five hundred ___years from now?”

“Yes.” For a moment she almost forgot any words besides yes existed. 

Ben swallowed hard as he thought of what to say next. “So… you’re telling me you somehow traveled back through time to get here?”

“Yes…” She couldn’t believe how easily he’d said it. She wasn’t sure what she’d expected- maybe laughter, anger, or disbelief- but for some reason he was able to accept what she was telling him. Somehow he was able react as if what she was saying wasn’t totally insane.

“So then…” Ben couldn’t believe he was asking this. It did sound insane, he knew that it did. However, something about bond they shared made him want to be able to believe every word of what she was saying. “So then how exactly did you get here?” 

“Magic.” She smiled. Somehow this felt like the easier part. “The magic my mother raised me with was what brought me here. It’s what brought me to you. I come from a long line of time travelers who gained their powers over time through magic. One evening, as I was about to begin another journey into the past, a lightning bolt struck the portal I was entering. That somehow put me into the lifetime of someone in this time. It’s how I became a Boleyn- a woman born in the early 1500s, with a family and a life in this time.” She made sure to leave the part about history being changed. It wasn’t something she knew how to fully address herself, let alone explain to someone else.

The look of confusion in Ben’s eyes hadn’t changed much. Rey could tell Ben wanted to believe her, but everything she’d just said sounded far more fantastical than anything he’d ever heard. It was more than he could grasp as he tried to process the truth of what she said. 

“I can prove it…” She said after a few moments, realizing there was something she could show him to prove she was from a different time. “This tooth right here…” She pointed to one of her front teeth. “If you touch the back of it, it’s thicker than my other teeth. That’s because it’s not real. It’s called a veneer- something you don’t have in your time.”

Ben stared at her like what she’d just said made even less sense than what she’d said before. 

“Here…” She said taking his hand. “I’ll show you. You can feel it...” She pressed his finger to the back of her tooth. As she did, his eyes went wide in disbelief. He leaned in for a moment as he looked closely at it. After a few seconds he realized it was indeed different from her other teeth- something that was only clear when one looked very closely.

“Is that magic too?” He finally asked, stunned.

Rey tried her best not to laugh. “No, it’s called cosmetic dentistry. People are able to repair their teeth in my time when they’re damaged. I cracked the tooth that was there when I fell ice skating several years ago. The whole tooth had to be replaced.”

“Ice skating?” The word only added to his confusion. 

Rey remembered the sport was something that was still a couple hundred years away from being common, at least in England.

“Ice skating is another invention from my time you wouldn’t know. The Dutch may already be doing it in their canals… I can’t remember how early it started. In my time it’s a widespread hobby people do for fun. They wear boots with blades on the bottom so they can easily glide across frozen lakes and rivers in the winter. It’s quite a thrill once you learn how to do it properly.” She figured explaining refrigerated floors was something she should hold off from for now, at least until she explained electricity.

“Traveling across ice with blades on your feet… that sounds incredibly dangerous.”

“Hence the fake tooth...” Rey laughed. “Jousting is a _bit ___more dangerous than ice skating from what I gather.”

Ben smiled for a moment as he thought about it. She did have a point…

His smile faded as he looked back at her again, as if nothing she was saying was making much sense. He felt his world spin for second as he looked off into the woods. 

“Sweetheart, are you alright?” Rey asked, suddenly noticing he looked a bit pale. 

“It’s just that…” He had a hard time finding the words for a moment. “Somehow I knew. Not about any of the things you just said, very little of that makes sense to me. But the part about you being from another time… Somehow, it explains a lot.”

“How do you mean?”

Ben looked back at her as he remembered the day he first saw her. “How long had you been in this time before you came to court?”

“I actually woke up here the morning I came to court.”

Ben nodded as it began to make sense. “I woke up that morning with an incredible sense of urgency… a feeling I couldn’t explain. It felt like something new had come into the world. Something had awoken inside of me that had been asleep my entire life. As soon as I saw you, I knew it was you. You were someone I’d been meant to find for a very long time.”

Rey’s heart filled with emotion as she realized she’d experienced the same thing. The day she’d arrived she’d thought the heightened state of her senses had been because she was at her wits end finding herself in a time she couldn’t explain. That probably had added to it, but at the heart of it something inside of her had been awoken as well.

She voiced the memory of it as it came to her. “The moment we first saw each other… it felt like the whole room electrified, like there wasn’t anyone else in the world besides the two of us…”

“Electrified?” He was looking at her confused again. Speaking about her own time had made Rey forget what words she was used to avoiding. 

“It felt as if everything in the room came alive- that there was a power surging through the space that hadn’t been there before.”

“Yes… exactly.”

They stared into each other’s eyes for a moment as they remembered how strongly they’d felt it. Neither had spoken about it just yet, other than admitting their connection. It was one of many things they’d experienced around each other that they hadn’t been able to talk about in detail until now. 

“Something tells me there’s still more to it…” Ben said. By now he was familiar with Rey’s energies, and it was clear when she was holding something back. “Have you visited your time since you’ve been here?”

Rey couldn’t stop the tears that filled her eyes at the reminder. She shook her head no, unable to get the words out. 

The realization hit him as he saw how sad the thought made her. 

“But then… you can’t go back, can you?”

“No.” She cried, shaking her head again. 

Ben instinctively reached our and brought her to him, putting his arms around her to comfort her as she cried softly into his chest. Feeling her body tremble against him as she grieved of the life she lost, a thought entered his mind that he was too afraid to ask. As his heart filled with the fear of the truth it could represent, it almost became too overwhelming. 

Finally he knew he had to ask it. 

“Would you want to go back if you were able to?”

Rey’s tears stopped as she looked up at him blankly, a little shocked and confused by how he could ask such a thing. 

“Of course... I miss my family so much… Why wouldn’t I go back?”

“Of course… that makes sense.” He looked off and nodded, doing his best to hide the hurt that answer had caused. 

Rey realized he’d misunderstood what she meant by going back. 

She brought her hand up to his cheek, making sure he turned to look at her with what she said next. “It would only be to visit my family for a little while, to let them know where I’ve been and to tell them about the life I have here. My place is with _you ___Ben, above all else. When I promised to spend the rest of my life with you, I meant _every ___word. I could never, ever leave you. You have to know that.”

Joy filled his heart again as the truth of her words washed over him. He began to wonder what he’d been so afraid of… He and Rey were destined to be together. It was the clearest truth he’d ever known. 

“I guess… well, a time where people can talk about magic and fly across frozen rivers and fix broken teeth sounds incredible. I’d understand if some part of you wanted to get back to it.”

“We can’t actually talk about magic openly, but, well, I’ll explain that part in a bit. All of those things I told you about are special, and while I do miss some of it at times, it’s nothing compared to the life I have now. No amount of technology or societal advancement could ever come close to the happiness I feel when I’m with you. Surely you understand that?”

“Of course.” He smiled. “I still don’t understand any of the things you’ve described but, there certainly couldn't ever be a time in the future worth living in more than the life I share with you.”

Another question had entered his mind that he couldn’t hold back- all the things she’d said about losing her mother to Mary had felt so genuine- he had to know the truth of it. 

“What you said to Mary, about losing your mother- you didn’t know your mother in this time…”

“Know that every word I’ve spoken to both of you is true… in a way. I did lose my own mother, but I wasn’t speaking about my mother in this life. I lost my mother in my time a few months before I came here.” She felt a heaviness in her chest as the grief of her mother’s loss combined with the pain of missing her family came back. “My family, my real family in my time, they’re so different from the family I have here. They’re loving and kind- my father is one of the most extraordinary men I’ve ever met, and my brother and sister… oh Ben I so wish you could meet them…” Her words trailed off as tears threatened to overwhelm her again.

Ben immediately realized what she was getting at. “When you talked about being alone, our first time in the gardens together, you weren’t talking about losing your mother in this time or how terrible your family are to you. You were talking about the real mother you lost, and the family you left behind.”

Rey nodded as a few new tears spilled down her cheek. Ben held her to him again as he did his best to comfort her, unsure what else there was to say. The realization of all she’d been going through was a tough one. He was amazed she’d been able to hold it together for as long as she had. He’d always known she was a strong person, but learning about all she’d been dealing with made him realize just how strong she was. 

Of course he realized why she’d kept so much of it from him. Most of what she’d said was hard for him to believe. On top of that, he’d been too consumed with his own personal tragedy to sense all she’d been going through herself. As the realization hit him, he finally knew just what he needed to say.

“I don’t want you to feel like you have to keep any of that from me, no matter how unbelievable it might sound or how hard you might think it will be for me to hear- if there’s anything that’s causing you pain you can share it with me, whatever it is. When I told you you’re not alone anymore, I meant it. I’m here for you in everything Rey, for whatever you need.”

Rey smiled up at him as his words comforted her like few things ever had. She’d just told him about things that would make most people think she was insane- and yet here he was professing how much he supported her in all of it. She breathed a deep sigh of relief as she realized for the first time she could fully be her true self with the man that she loved. 

“Thank you…” She said, wiping the tears from her cheeks as she tried to think of what to say. “Oh Ben, I love you so, so much… you have no idea how incredible it feels is to hear you say that.”

He smiled as he kissed her on the forehead. “Well it’s true, every word.” For a moment he hesitated, unsure if he should ask the question that was on his mind. Having lost his own parents, he had to know if she'd lost her mother in a similar way.

“If you don’t mind me asking- how did it happen, when you lost your mother?”

Rey took a deep breath as she remembered the shock and horror of her mother’s unexpected loss. “It’s another one of those things from my time that will be hard to explain.”

“I promise I’ll do my best to understand- if you want to talk about it of course. You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to.”

Rey couldn’t help but smile. Ben was trying so hard to comprehend the extraordinary time her other life represented. It certainly was more than she’d dared allowed herself to hope for. 

“It was an accident…” She began, trying to think of how best to explain it. “A horrible accident caused by someone who was drunk.”

Ben tried to think of what sort of accident a drunk person could have caused that had lead to someone else’s death. He’d heard his fair share of drunken mishaps about courtiers who’d gone too far, but nothing that had resulted in deaths other than the person who’d been drunk.

“A drunk person killed your mother by accident?" he blurted out not meaning to. The shock of it was too much to know the right thing to say.

“I guess I should just explain it. In my time people no longer use carriages and horses to travel, but machinery called automobiles to get around. They’re incredibly fast and when someone operates one drunk it’s very dangerous. A man was driving drunk and his car hit my mother’s going very fast. She died instantly.”

Ben’s eyes went wide with the shock of what she’d just said. “Does that happen often in your time- people being killed by, what was it you called them-”

“Cars is a simpler term for them, and yes, people are injured and killed in accidents fairly often when people don’t operate them safely.”

Ben was horrified by what she’d just told him. “Why would anyone allow such a dangerous thing to exist?”

Rey again tried her best to not laugh. The time she was from was so different than the one he knew. 

“Well, they’re incredibly efficient at helping people get around. Imagine if you, Mary, and I could travel together across Britain in ten hours- without a single horse or help from anyone else.”

“East to west in ten hours?!” He couldn’t believe what he’d just heard. 

“No…” Rey smiled. “Liverpool to London takes about four hours with a car. I mean driving through Scotland and England- Inverness to London, in around ten hours.”

Ben was overcome by disbelief for a moment. “Is that magic too?” He finally asked.

“No.” It was taking all Rey had to keep from laughing at this point. He had quite a surprise in store when she told him about high speed trains and planes. “That’s technology. In about three hundred years there will be a time called the industrial revolution, where things called machines make society much more efficient. As technology advances, the advancements become quicker and quicker as there are more tools to aid in discoveries. By the time the end of this millennium gets here, things look quite a bit different than they do now.” 

Ben looked off into the woods again as he tried to wrap his mind around what she’d just said. He suddenly remembered what they’d been meaning to talk about. “But then… what’s the point of magic if technology can do so much more for people?”

The question hit Rey with a truth she’d never intentionally thought of, but somehow knew in her heart right away. 

“That’s a very good question… I guess, magic is what protects us from becoming too consumed by all that technology can do for us. No matter how much technology advances, magic can still do more for us in many ways. No amount of technology can achieve time travel. No amount of technology can recreate the feelings of what you and I share. No amount of technology can make deceased relatives visit us in our dreams.”

Ben thought about it for a moment, doing his best to understand. Rey suddenly remembered another truth about technology that was important to bring up. 

“Technology also comes with costs. It hurts the Earth, polluting the air and filling streams and rivers with horrible chemicals. It also enables people to be incredibly destructive if they use it for the wrong reasons. Someday I’ll tell you about how violent wars are in my time… Technology has helped society advance in many ways, but it’s also caused a great deal of harm. Magic can help people remember what’s important- to reconnect to the Earth and to remember what truly makes us human.”

Ben looked down at the ground for a moment, unsure what to say. After a few moments he shook his head as he couldn’t help but laugh.

“What’s funny about that?” Rey asked. She'd tried so hard not to laugh all this time and yet here he was laughing at what she she'd just said. It was the exact opposite of the reaction she’d expected. 

“It’s just… I thought this conversation would explain things, to help me understand more of what’s been going on. Somehow, it’s only made things much more complicated.”

Rey couldn’t help but laugh too. “At least we have each other while we figure all of this out.”

“Thank God for that.” Ben sighed.

“Thank _all ___the gods for that.” Rey said, cocking her head to the side.

“All the gods…” The phrase was an odd one for Ben. “At some point you will have to tell me about all the higher powers that have been forgotten.”

“Don’t worry, that will be the fun part. Their stories are a lot more interesting than the ones I’ve heard Christians tell about their one god.”

“If there’s more of them I’m sure they’re naturally a lot more interesting than just one god.” Ben smiled. He couldn’t believe how easily he found himself discussing a topic that had felt forbidden to discuss just hours ago. Something about Rey made life’s mysteries easier to approach.

“That makes a lot of sense...” Rey smiled. Her heart filled with joy as she felt herself finally able to discuss all the things she’d wanted to talk with Ben about for so long. 

The two of them stared at each other for a moment as they realized what a special place they’d come to. They were finally able to be their true selves together, the fullness of their hearts and minds were open to each other in a way that they’d never been with anyone else. Somehow it felt like they’d been waiting their entire life to get to this moment. A peace came over them as they felt the freedom of finally being able to be their true selves with each other for the first time... 

Their calm was broken as they both heard a twig snap behind them. 

Ben was the first to his feet. He already had his sword drawn as both were met with the sight of a man and woman they didn’t recognize entering clearing they were in. 

“Please, your majesties, we mean no harm!” The man said. Both had their hands raised in surrender as they fell to their knees. 

“This is Royal land you’re on!” Ben said, his voice raised. “Both of you could be thrown in jail for this. What is your business here?!” 

Rey brushed herself off as she got to her feet. “Ben I don’t think they mean-“ The fear in his eyes as he glanced back at her explained everything- he was afraid they’d heard what they’d been talking about. 

“Please your majesties…” The woman said. “We came here to find you, we mean to _help ___you.”

Ben spun around as her words hit him. “What help could we possibly need from-”

“Ben…”

“What?”

“I don’t think they’re here to hurt us.” Rey said, nodding toward them to let him know he needed to take a closer look.

As he looked at the couple in front of them, it was clear they weren’t typical commoners. Tatoos of ancient symbols adorned their arms. Their hair was braided and beaded in ways that neither had ever seen before. Their clothing was much more primitive and simple than what even the lowest born peasnats wore. 

It was clear that wherever they came from, it was from a part of society that had done it’s best to remain hidden. It didn’t take long for either of them to realize why that might be. The powers they sensed resonating from them more than confirmed it.

“How did you get here?” Ben asked, his sword still raised. “How did you make it past the guards that patrol the perimeter of my lands?”

The woman smiled, her hands still raised. “You could say that’s what we came here to help you with your majesty.”

Ben sighed. Something about her nerve disarmed him, a fact that frustrated him as he tried to fight it. “You’re telling me you made it past my guards without being spotted, and that’s supposed to help us _how? ___”

For some reason the woman slowly put her hands down. Seeing how she’d relaxed, her partner did the same. 

“Why don’t you ask her?” She said nodding towards Rey. “I sense our queen is a lot more familiar with these things than you are, your grace.”

“But I’m not-” Rey stuttered.

“She’s not been crowned yet.” Ben blurted out, his sword still drawn and his gaze fixed firmly on the intruders who appeared to know a _lot ___more than they should. “At any rate, how do you know that? Our engagement hasn’t even been announced at court yet.”

“With respect your majesty…” The man spoke up “You don’t need crowns on your heads to be our king and queen. Our people have't had a king or queen to follow in, well, much longer than either of us remembers. You both took your rightful place as our leaders when you fulfilled your bond a few days ago.”

“ _Fulfilled our bond?! ___” Now Rey was as confused as Ben was. She had an idea what they meant, but the fact that they knew what they’d done in the woods together was far more alarming than their knowledge of their engagement.

The man and woman looked at each other, more than a little shocked by her response. 

The woman smiled again as she looked back up at them. “It appears you both need more of our help than either of us realized. If you’d kindly lower your sword your grace, we’d be happy to explain.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I always make sure to include notes on canon in my other fic when interesting details come up. I figured fun facts from history would be fun to include in this one. 😊
> 
> Some history on what Rey said about ice skating-
> 
> Ice skating for fun in Europe started in the Netherlands sometime between the 13th and 14th centuries. The Dutch came up with the first metal blades that were attached to winter boots. They'd use them to skate down their canals when they froze over in the winter. That's why the Dutch are so dominant in speed skating. Their ancestors invented the sport. 
> 
> The first skates came to England in the 17th century. James II spent some time in the Netherlands while in exile and picked up the sport while there. When he returned to England he introduced it to the aristocracy. The sport caught on and was soon enjoyed throughout Britain by people of all walks of life. 
> 
> Maybe Rey can help Ben bring ice skating to their country a bit sooner... That is if they have time between planning a wedding and a coronation and attempts at baby making and all that. Winter is coming after all. ❄️
> 
> Also interesting to note are expected travel times in Tudor England- ie why Ben couldn’t believe someone could travel across the island east to west in ten hours, let alone north to south.
> 
> A king in the best carriage of the time would take a couple of days to travel from London to Liverpool- and those are cities that would have well established roads between them. Scottish roads, where they existed, were difficult for even the most seasoned travelers. Traveling across the island north to south by land wouldn’t be something anyone in their right mind would consider at the time. If Ben had to travel to Inverness from London, he’d have taken a ship through the North Sea which would have taken a week. 
> 
> Hearing someone could travel by land north to south across the whole of Britain in ten hours would have sounded like nothing short of magic to someone in 1526. 💫


	11. Connecting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben and Rey learn about what's been happening to them from an unexpected source. As they discover the depth of what their powers represent, they realize a lot more lays ahead for them than they ever imagined.
> 
> Here's an Ever After manip I did of these two hanging out in the woods together. 💙❤️

Ben felt Rey’s hand on his forearm as she gently encouraged him to lower his sword. 

_It’s alright sweetheart… we can trust them… you and I both sense that. ___She said through her thoughts. As many times as they’d heard each others thoughts by now, she knew he’d hear it.

Rey’s words and the sense of her touch were just what he needed to calm down enough to lower his sword. Still, he couldn’t help but look at them hesitantly for a moment before sheathing his weapon.

“If you’d like to make yourselves comfortable, you’re more than welcome to join us on our blanket.” Rey offered.

“I couldn’t possibly, your majesty.” The woman almost laughed. “That’s far too fine a fabric for the likes of us. We prefer the bare grass under us. Makes it easier to feel the Earth’s energies.”

“That I understand.” Rey uttered. 

Ben looked at her a little confused. She smiled to let him know to just go along with it. 

“I don’t believe we caught your names.” Rey smiled as they all got comfortable. Rey and Ben sat on the edge of the blanket to be nearer to their guests.

“I’m Avar and this is my husband Lor.” The woman said. 

“A pleasure to meet you both. I’m Rey and this is my fiancé Ben.” She smiled from ear to ear as it was the first time she’d used the word to introduce themselves to anyone. In fact, it was the first time she’d introduced Ben to anyone at all. 

“We know.” Lor smiled. He looked at Ben with what he said next. “Most people have referred to you as Kylo since your coronation. Which name would you prefer we use, your grace?”

Ben hadn’t expected that kind of courtesy from someone he’d just drawn a sword on, and it took him a moment to think of how to respond. 

“Um, you can call me by my Christian name.” he finally said.

The two stared blankly at him.

“And what would _that ___be?” Avar asked, confused.

“Ben…” he answered, unsure why any part of that was confusing. 

Suddenly Avar burst out laughing. Lor smiled at her as he did his best to hold back laughter of his own.

“Christian name indeed...” She said. 

Ben and Rey had no idea what had come over her. “What about that is funny?” He finally asked. 

“I take it your mother never told you who you were named after?”

“I wasn’t aware I was named after anyone…” 

“Ben Kenobi.” Lor said. “A powerful wizard and high priest- one of the greatest men who ever lived. Gods rest his soul. He gave his life defeating a dark wizard who’d gone bad and had planned to attack your father in the early years of his reign. An attack like that would have started a war none of us wanted any part of. Of course most of England never knew what happened, being that it happened among magic folk. You mother must have heard of his sacrifice, how he gave his life protecting a king who didn’t even know his name. You were born a year later and low and behold she named her second son after him. Your older brother Arthur got the royal name, but you got the pagan name. It was more than any of us could have dreamed of. ”

There was a lot about that which didn’t add up for Ben. “My mother didn’t have any part of… the religion you practice. She kept that part of herself hidden from the world. The one time I asked her about it she told me to never speak of it to anyone but her.”

“Just because she didn’t practice it for all the world to see doesn’t mean she couldn’t read and see the signs the Earth gave her all around her.” Avar said. “Your name is enough proof of that. If anything, naming you Ben felt like a message to all of us to hold on to the truth of who we were. It let us know she’d never lost that part of herself. It gave us hope that our time in the sun would come again.”

Rey could sense Ben suddenly felt more than a little emotional over that realization. All of his life he’d hidden such a big part of who he was away. His own mother had been the one to tell him to do so. Yet here he was finding out the very name she chose for him had been a secret symbol of that. Not just any symbol- a symbol of hope for people all throughout the land like himself who had to hide themselves from the world for who they were.

Rey took his hand and squeezed it for a moment to let him know she sensed what he was feeling. He smiled as he squeezed her hand back.

“But then…” Another question had come up for Ben. “Feeling the Earth’s energies is one thing, but how did she know the entire story and name of a man she never met?”

Avar and Lor looked at each other, confused how he could ask such a question. 

“Well, the pyronet- of course.” Avar answered. 

“The what?” Ben asked. 

Both looked to Rey. “I do hope you at least know what we’re talking about?” Avar said. 

Rey shook her head. She’d heard of it, but the fact that she hadn’t used it was all she was willing to reveal. If she’d told them she’d only heard of it but never used it that would be an admission that might reveal the time she’d come from. 

Avar narrowed her eyes at her for a bit, thinking to say something, but hesitated.

“Lor, go grab some branches.” Avar finally said, nodding towards the woods behind them “It’s time these two learn how to talk to their own people. No wonder we haven’t heard a word out of either of you two. People were starting to worry…”

Ben and Rey looked at each other, unsure what to expect. 

“You might want to roll that pretty blanket up while you’re at it.” Avar said, nodding towards them. “I doubt you’ll want to get something so fine singed.”

Minutes later the two of them had a structure of branches built above a nest of kindling. Avar went to flick her hand towards the pile but stopped herself. 

“Why don’t you do us the honors my lady? Surely you can manage that?” She said nodding to Rey. It felt a bit like a test.

Rey looked at Ben for a moment, who looked as confused as ever. She smiled and without a word flicked her hand towards the pile. Sparks flew from her fingers into the nest of kindling. A moment later it burst into flames. Ben’s eyes went wide with shock as if everything he knew had come into question.

“Have you always been able to do that?” He asked. 

She nodded. “It’s a very basic skill. You’ll be able to as well once we teach you.”

Ben stared back at the fire, his eyes full of wonder as he watched the flames creep up and consume the larger branches. The part of him that had waited to come alive for so long was even more incredible than he had imagined. 

“Your thoughts have begun connecting already I take it?” Avar asked.

Ben and Rey looked at each other. Having someone else ask about a secret they’d just discovered themselves was a bit of a shock.

“You can hear each other when you think?” She said, making sure they understood. 

“Yes.” Ben said. Rey nodded as well. 

“Good, you had me worried there for a second. That comes naturally to you two because of your bond. Your minds are already bridged without having to do anything. To connect with something else- the energy within something else- that takes effort, but anyone with magic can do it. You can use the energy in a tree to store a message for someone just like you’d use a box to store a letter. It doesn’t have to be something living either. Anything that has energy within it can be communicated with through the mind. The most common way this is done is by passing messages through fires. All fires are connected by the cosmic energy that surrounds us all, the energy that makes the flames burn.”

Avar added a few more branches to the fire to really get it going. Once it had grown a bit more she got back to explaining. 

“To connect with this particular fire, you’ll have to close your eyes the first time you try and really focus on reaching out to it. Once you practice and get used to it, you’ll be able to do it without thinking. So go ahead, get comfortable, close your eyes and clear your minds. Think about reaching out with your own energy and connecting with the energy from inside the fire.”

Ben and Rey did as she said. It took them a few moments, but as they did they could feel the heat from the fire reaching out and connecting with them. It felt like an old friend they didn’t know they had, reaching out to greet them for the first time. 

“Sit there and get used to the feeling.” Avar instructed them. “Once you feel like a solid connection has been made, focus on it for a bit until you know exactly what that feels like. When you know you’ve established a solid connection between the fire's energy and your own, you can open your eyes again.”

Somehow they both felt when they were ready. They opened their eyes at the same time, able to sense and feel a connection with the fire in front of them they’d never known possible. 

“So then, how do we send messages to others?” Rey asked. 

“You know how it feels when you have a thought strong enough that you want each other to hear? The same way you do that, instead of sharing it with each other, share it with the flames. Take that thought and project it into the flames. Whoever needs to hear it will hear it.”

“That’s it?” Rey asked. “Just project a thought into the fire and it knows where to go?”

“That’s it.” Lor answered. “As easy as breathing.”

“Go ahead.” Avar encouraged her. “Try it out.”

Rey thought for a moment what she might say for the first time to a whole host of people she’d never met. People just like her, but who'd been raised in a way she’d only ever heard about in stories of the past. After a few moments, she finally knew what she wanted to say. 

“My brothers and sisters in magic, I’m beyond honored to hear you’ve named me your leader. I haven’t been here very long and have only met two of you so far. I’m not sure when I’ll be able to, but know that I cannot wait to meet more of you.”

She sent the thought into the flames and hoped those eager to hear it would receive it. 

“So do we just wait? To see if anything is said back?” Rey asked. 

“Trust us, when they hear it, you’ll know.” Lor said. 

“Anything you want to say Ben?” Avar asked. “Your people have heard stories about you since the day you were born. They’re very excited to hear from you, trust me.”

His mind spun as he thought of what he could possibly say to people he wanted so much to get to know more about- people that felt like a total mystery to him. The part of him that related him to them was something he’d been made to kept hidden his whole life, and yet here he was being told he was supposed to lead them. He wasn’t even sure yet what that meant. 

Finally he thought of something to say.

“Brothers and sisters in magic, today I learned my mother named me after one of your heroes. I wish she were here with me. She always somehow knew just what to say. Every one of you can be sure I’ll do all in my power to see that I earn the name that she gave me. I’m not sure what that means yet, but I hope you’ll help me figure that out.”

It didn’t sound very kingly he thought as he sent the final words into the flames. Then again, he had the feeling that the king of king these people needed might not be the king of king he was raised to be. Somehow he trusted the gifts he’d been given would show him all he needed to know to lead them in time. 

All four of them waited patiently for a minute or two, staring intently into the flames as they waited for a reply. All at once the flames began to flicker higher and higher. Sparks of excitement shot out of them as voices raised in celebration could be heard from many different people. Figures of people dressed similarly to Lor and Avar rose from the flames as they each sent their greeting to the leaders they’d hoped to hear from. Rey and Ben’s faces glowed as the celebration in front of them grew. 

They hadn’t known what they’d expected, but it was more beautiful than anything their minds could have conjured. Their people were overjoyed to be hearing from them. The flames danced as figures of those welcoming them celebrated their leaders in all corners of the land. 

Lor and Avar watched proudly as it all took place. For a moment both were nearly overcome with emotion as they took in the sight. They’d never imagined how much help their young leaders would need upon finding them. Now that they’d started them on their journey, they saw their efforts were being put to good use. 

“The best part about all of this-“ Avar said. “Is non magical people, and those who don’t know what to look for, can’t see any of this. The messages only appear to those they’re meant for and those who know to look for them. You could have your guards right here with us and they’d see nothing more than a regular fire. It’s how our people have communicated while being stretched so thinly across the land.”

“So… my mother could have been sitting by the fire with us, seeing all of this, and none of us would have known since we didn’t know to look for them?” Ben asked.

Lor smiled. “Absolutely. She may have rocked you and nursed you and told you bedtime stories by the fire, all the while reading signs meant for her and seeing messages from our people.”

It suddenly made a lot of sense to Ben. “She did love siting by the fire… she’d do it for hours on end sometimes. Even in the summer when there wasn’t much of a need to. My father used to tease her about it actually. _“Do the flames ever talk back?" ___He’d say.” Ben smiled as he realized the irony. “I guess in a way they did.”

As they sat around the fire together, enjoying the warmth of it’s flames and the occasional figures who’d appear, Rey felt comfortable enough to ask a question that had been on her mind since they first heard their new friends speak. “Where are your accents from? I’ve never heard accents like yours anywhere before.”

Avar smiled. “You mean why do my words sound funny to you? That’s because the language you call English isn’t my mother tongue. People like Lor and I speak the true native tongue of this land- one that’s not been bastardized by the whole host of invaders who’ve raided and plundered these shores for longer than anyone remembers.”

Rey could tell what she’d said had made Ben a bit uncomfortable. Referring to the language they spoke as one of invaders wasn’t a kind thing to say to the man who was the King of England.

Avar sensed it as well, and wasn’t afraid to speak on it.

“Don’t worry yourself with politics. By the grace of the Woodvilles we happily accept you for what you are.”

“What would that be?” Ben replied, a little unsure about what he was about to hear.

Lor smiled knowingly as he looked to Avar to answer. She’d made this bed, and now would have to lay in it.

Avar had no qualms about taking that on. “You’re the rightful King of England, that’s for sure. And by the grace of the gods, the king that sits the throne of this land finally has a trace of lineage in him people like Lor and I can relate to. All the gods bless your grandmother the White Queen- her marriage to Edward of York finally gave folks like us hope that the prophecy might come true. It took a few generations longer than imagined but here we are, living to see it happen.”

“What prophecy is that?” Rey asked. 

“That a true queen of England would sit the throne, and that her love would bring her king back to the true gods of this land.”

“Are you saying I’m not a true King of England?” Ben asked flatly. 

“No, not at all, that’s the wonderful part.” Lor sounded almost giddy as he said it. “By your maternal bloodline you’ve got magical ancestors that make you our king as much as lady Rey here is our true queen.”

“Even better” Avar added, nodding toward Rey. “Once she has your children the line you two start will be far closer to the blood of this land than anyone has seen in generations.”

“But she’s not-” Ben stopped himself before he went further. The words caught in his chest as a panic griped him over what he’d almost just admitted. 

“Not what?” Avar asked. “Not from this time? Big surprise, that is.” Her tone dripped with sarcasm.

Ben and Rey looked at her dumbfounded. Neither could understand how she could already knew so much about them.

“Don’t go looking at us like that.” She quipped. “Playing dumb won’t help you with us. Our people are already singing songs about you and your story in every corner of the land. _"Dear Rey! Our warrior queen! Who rode into England on a lightning bolt! She stole the life of the one who’s head would roooooooooll!” ___Avar sang, doing her best to translate a song she’d heard sung by a fire just a few nights before.

“Did you say- the life of the one who’s head would roll?!” Ben asked shocked. “What in God’s name is that supposed to mean?!” 

Rey’s face felt hot as she knew exactly what it meant. The pagans in front of her were well aware of the historical changes that had happened when she’d arrived, and somehow knew it so well they’d already managed to write songs about it.

“I’ll explain that part later…” Rey spoke up.

“So you DO know a bit more about all this than you’ve been letting on...” Avar smiled. “I knew you had to... unless by some strange twist of fate you’d forgotten everything you ever knew when you arrived here.”

“You mean to say that there’s still more to all this that we haven’t talked about…” Ben asked, sounding more than a little overwhelmed by all he’d already heard.

“We hadn’t really had a chance to get to that part, no.” Rey answered. That was true in a way.

Rey quickly tried to think of something to change the subject. “But then, they must be singing songs about Ben too. What are your people saying about him in all this?”

Lor and Avar looked at each other, doing their best not to smile. Finally Avar couldn’t hold back laughter. “If we’re honest I’m not sure you’re quite ready to hear _those ___songs yet my lady.” She said.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Rey asked. 

Lor explained it as diplomatically he could. “Meaning no offense of course, but, I’m sure you’ve heard tell our king here had a bit of a… reputation in his early years for um… enjoying the finer things in life. Suffice it to say most of the songs about him have been written by women.”

Rey sensed she had an idea what that meant, but the look of guilt and shock on Ben’s face told her all she needed to know. 

“Oh you can’t be serious…” Rey said, the biggest grin spreading across her face. 

“Oh trust me, they’re quite serious my lady!” Avar laughed, finally unable to hold back. “Poor young Ben here thought all those girls he took to bed were Christians just like he’d been raised. A couple of his favorites had ties to our ways and tales of his talents made their way across England as fast as flames would carry them. Pagan women aren’t afraid to share their exploits like Christian women are. If they’ve had a good time with a man they’re proud to tell about it- especially when the man they’ve been with is a Catholic ruler by practice but Pagan in name. Every secret pagan courtier in the land did their best to get into the bed of the young prince named after a legend, and he had no problem allowing it. All of them trying to sense some power they hoped would be there… the way the stories flew they sensed a power alright!” Avar slapped her knee as she nearly doubled over from laughter.

By now the look on Ben’s face had faded to pure shock. All signs of guilt had vanished. 

“Well that’s just… a little too perfect.” Rey smiled. 

Finally Ben broke into a smile of his own. He’d done absolutely nothing to prevent earning that reputation… no sense in trying to deny it.

“You’re not even going to try to argue it then?” Rey teased, her eyes narrowing on him.

“There wouldn’t really be much point in that, would there…” Ben couldn’t help but smile bigger the more he thought about it. 

“Not from my experience, there wouldn’t be… Lucky me. You’re all mine now.” Rey sighed contentedly. 

Avar’s eyes went wide at the admission. “A woman of magic indeed… If that isn’t the greatest irony in all of this! People called Anne a witch in her time…” She suddenly remembered the historical changes they’d been talking about before. “That poor girl wasn’t more than a good little protestant. She’d have been whatever she needed to be to get a redhead in her bed and a crown on her head, not that it did her much good there for long. Gods be praised that’s all gone now and the England that put that poor girl her to her death is getting a real witch on it’s throne this time. They won’t know what hit them…”

Though Ben didn’t understand a word of what she’d said, one word in particular did stick out. “Did you just call Rey a…” He couldn’t say the word.

“Come now, you’ve got nothing to fear from us.” Avar assured him. The fear she’d sensed suddenly spike in him reminded her just how Catholic of a ruler they were speaking to. “No one will know either of you for what you are until you’re ready for them to. Our people certainly won’t be sharing that bit of information until it’s safe to do so. Go and spoil the one chance at freedom we’ve had in over a thousand years? No, sir, not a chance.”

“Remember…” Lor’s tone suddenly had a heaviness to it. “We’re not the ones who burn people at the stake for being caught on what’s supposedly the wrong side of religion. We’re the ones who get burned. You’re secret’s safe with us as it’s our secret as well.”

“Our lightning queen won’t be letting that happen anymore though, gods be praised!” Avar said, her tone full of hope. 

“Lightning queen…” Rey stammered. “Is that what people are calling me?”

“It is.” She replied proudly. 

The idea of the title was an odd one for Rey. The experience had been one of the most terrifying things she’d ever been through. 

“I didn’t feel much like a queen when I got struck by it.” Rey remarked.

Avar stared at her quizzically for a moment. “You do know there’s more to it than just being struck by lightning and waking up without a scratch…”

Rey shook her head again. She had so many other questions she wanted to ask them about what had really happened to history that night, but she knew she’d better explain the changes in history she’d observed to Ben first before bringing them up in front of him. 

“Gods where to begin…” Avar said, almost in a whisper. “You probably won’t believe me if I tell you. I suppose another demonstration is in order…” 

Avar and Lor looked at each other. After a moment Lor nodded. It was clear they were agreeing on something. 

Lor was the first one to speak up. “Is there anything, or anyone in your life that makes you incredibly angry… anyone that’s caused you great pain?”

She hadn’t expected that question, but as soon as he asked it she could only think of one person. The man who’d taken her mother from her- his very existence made her want to rip the sky apart. Thinking about what he’d done brought up a kind of anger in her she’d never known she was capable of before. 

“You could say that.” She said heavily. 

Both of them sensed the anger thinking about it had caused her. As Ben looked at her, she could tell he knew who she was thinking about. 

Lor swallowed hard before what he said next. “Imagine that person, whoever it is, is sitting on that tree branch right there” He pointed to a large branch up high several yards away from them. “Imagine that person is up there, taunting you about whatever wrong they’ve done to you. They’re totally unrepentant, declaring they’d gladly do it again given the chance.”

The thought made Rey’s blood boil. She’d remembered his empty face at his sentencing… how it had looked like every ounce of life had been drained from him- as if he had nothing left to live for. 

Somehow that had made her even more angry at him... 

Her mother had been so happy, so full of life, and yet she’d been taken from the world while he was still alive. It was maddening…

The idea of him being unrepentant on top of that, not caring about what he’d taken from her, it was more than she could even think to entertain. 

All at once she felt the Earth’s energy well up inside of her as she felt her anger hit a fever pitch. She’d had to repress so much about her anger for so long, hiding who she was while trying to fit into a time she barely knew… 

Out here in the woods, free to let loose, she didn’t need to be told twice. 

“GRRAAAHHHHH!” She yelled. A few tears of rage fell down her cheek as her right hand instinctively flew out towards the branch. Bolts of purple lightning flew from her fingers, identical to the one she’d been struck with the night she’d been taken from her time. The bolts struck the enormous branch, electrocuting it and snapping it from the tree. The branch fell instantly, bursting into flames as it hit the ground. 

Avar’s hand went out a moment later. A gust of power extinguished the flames as suddenly as they’d erupted.

Rey slowly brought her hand to her face too look at it, totally in awe of what she’d just done. Something about it had been such a needed release… Somehow she could a feel a large part of a weight that had been growing inside of her had somehow been let go of... 

“In other words…” Avar said, walking over to make sure the branch had fully extinguished. “Don’t go making her angry.” She nodded towards Rey as she looked at Ben. 

“Jesus Christ…” Ben uttered, astounded by what he’d just seen. 

“Oh he had nothing to do with that.” Avar said proudly.

“So… do I actually have any part to play in all this or…” Ben was becoming more confused as to what his place was in all of this.

“Don’t start feeling sorry for yourself, just because she’s got some tricks up her sleeve and we spoke true about your bloodline. You’ll figure out what your skills are soon enough as they reveal themselves. You and your dark locks letting the world know what part of your blood runs strongest is half the equation here. You don’t get a dyad without two.”

“A what?” Rey asked. 

Avar and Lor again stared back at them dumbfounded. 

“You don’t mean to tell me you two don’t even know what you two are…” Avar said it like the revelation blew her mind. 

“I mean… I think it’s become fairly clear by now just how much we don- were you just referring my hair a second ago?!” The more Ben talked to these people, the less he could make sense of them.

“Where exactly do you think locks as dark as those came from? That’s the gods letting us know who really you are.” Avar chuckled.

“Somehow I don’t really want to know what you mean by that.”

“Don’t let it worry you, I’m not talking about bloodlines. You’re just as Tudor as your father was unfortunately.”

“Why is that unfortunate?” Being referred to as his father’s trueborn son as something that was unfortunate was the last thing he’d ever expected to hear.

Avar scoffed. “I do believe we covered that earlier...” 

Lor laughed. “Margaret Beaufort thought she had something, she really did. And she nearly turned the country upside down to get her way.”

“You are referring to my father and grandmother, I’ll remind you.” Ben said, his tone more than a little annoyed. 

Somehow his annoyed tone only encouraged them. 

“Trust me we know all about the family history… old Richard of York didn’t see it coming. That fool thought Margaret did him a favor offing poor little Luke and his brother. Little did he know she was just getting them out of the way for her own son. Next thing poor Richard knows he’s getting bummed by the business end of his enemies swords as his corpse is paraded around Endor hill.” Avar roared with laughter.

“Poor old carpark king…” Rey sighed without thinking, remembering where he’d been discovered just years ago in her own time. 

“What?” Ben asked.

“I’ll tell you about it later. It’s a bit dark but- you’ll need a good laugh after all this. 

Ben sighed. “More than you know.”

“What was all that you were saying about his hair?” Rey asked. “I am curious to hear that part.”

“Sometimes, when one is strong enough with the dark side it comes right out and shows itself.”

“The dark side of what?” Ben asked. 

“Oh you poor child… you really don’t know anything at all do you...” Avar said almost in a whisper, realizing how very much he didn’t know about himself. 

Ben just stared at her in shock. He’d never had anyone in his life speak to him like that, and wasn’t really sure what to say to that.

“To be fair…” Rey spoke up to defend him. “He hasn’t really grown up in an environment that allowed him to learn the truth of what he is.”

“That I can believe.” Lor said.

“Thank the gods one of you did- though not knowing what a dyad is isn’t making me feel that much better. Did you listen at all to what your parents taught you growing up?”

As Rey thought about it, she could have listened a lot better. Most of what she’d cared to learn about was time travel. Other than that she hadn’t had much interest in the religion of her family. It wasn’t until she encountered Ben that it all suddenly represented a much greater meaning than any of it ever had before. 

“I could have listened a bit better, I’ll admit that much. But even if I wrack my memory I don’t remember the word dyad ever being mentioned.”

“What year is it you were from again?” Avar asked.

Rey looked at Ben. She’d told him her birth year but hadn’t yet said out loud what year she left. “2020.” She finally said. “That’s the year I left.”

“That… doesn’t even sound like a real year.” Ben said. Rey was glad he’d finally found some humor in the situation.

“2020…” Avar mulled the though over for a bit. “That is a good ways into the future to be sure… by your time people may have lost all hope of a dyad ever coming back.”

“Is there only one dyad? Or are there more of us?” The idea of being something that was one of a kind was a bit daunting for Rey.

“Oh gods no, at least there didn’t used to be. It used to be plenty of dyads roamed the land, just like how folks with magic used to be the norm rather than the exception. Then foreign gods started getting brought here and well, magic started disappearing. Fewer babies were born with magic flowing through them. Eventually all the dyads died out. Magic became a rarity rather than the norm. Without our most powerful beings to defend us, those without magic persecuted us to the ends of the Earth- afraid of what they didn’t understand. We’ve had to hide our selves and our ways while we live as who we truly are.”

“Some things haven’t changed about that in the future unfortunately.” Rey said, remembering how much her family had kept about themselves hidden.

“That’s what you think…” Avar said with a smile. “You’ve got a chance to change all that now that you’re here.” She remembered something she’d been meaning to ask earlier. “You not knowing the pyronet- does that have something to do with the time you came from as well?”

Rey smiled, as she finally felt free to explain something she’d wanted to before. “Yes actually. Magic people don't use it regularly anymore in my time. We had much more efficient methods of communication in the 20th and 21st century. Some time lords still use it among other antiquated skills, but I never felt much of a need to learn it. ”

Avar rolled her eyes. “That’s just typical then. Something new comes around and people immediately forget how their ancestors have been living since the beginning of time. It was no different with religion, and now you tell me our kind in the future aren’t even talking to each other like they’re supposed to. Gods above…”

Rey thought for a moment to explain how much more efficient telephones and the internet were at communicating than building a fire to call upon people through open flames, but remembered she’d only just learned how to do the latter, so she didn’t actually have much experience to speak to that. 

Instead she’d remembered what she’d been meaning to have them explain. 

“So what was all that about being a dyad again? You still haven’t told us what that is.”

“A dyad is the most powerful kind of magic being there is.” Lor explained. “It means you two are split from the same soul, something that happened earlier than time can record. I’m sure you’re familiar with the notion of soul mates, two people split from one soul, destined to find each other. A dyad is just that but a pairing of magic souls. Two that are one, bonded by the strongest forces there are in the universe.

“So… what exactly does it mean in terms of magical abilities?” Rey had hunch she already knew, but needed to hear it explained in detail. Her senses had been exponential since arriving in this time, and the past few days her powers had felt off the charts.

“It means…” Lor went on “That you two have the ability to master _all ___aspects of magic.”

“ _All ___aspects?” Rey couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

“Yes.” Avar smiled proudly. “Every area of magic there is to study, it’s all open to you now. As you begin to study, you’ll master all of it as if you were born to it.”

“What’s significant about that…” Ben asked, unsure what the big deal was. 

“Most people only master one or at most a couple areas of magic.” Rey explained. “The most powerful beings might master a handful. What they’re saying is because we’re a dyad, we can master everything- all there is to learn.”

“What do you mean by areas of magic?” He still wasn’t sure what they were getting at. 

“Well, my family were time lords. They mastered time. They could travel through different parts of time as easily as walking from one place to another. When things don’t go wrong of course… From what Avar said about your guards earlier, something tells me Lor and Avar here have mastered the mind. Literal persuasion and reading minds by magic if you will.”

“That’s why they’ve been able to sense our thoughts…” Ben said, realizing how much they’d been picking up on. 

“That’s correct.” Avar said. “We all have our basic practical skills- producing fire, lifting and moving things... But like she said most only truly master one or a couple areas of magic. Dyads have enough power that every area of magic that exists is open to them.”

Ben’s eyes went wide as he realized what an enormous task lay ahead of them. “But how can we possibly… we have an entire country to rule…” He could barely get the words out it felt so overwhelming. 

“Well it’s not going to happen by tomorrow, you can be sure of that.” Avar said. “If you two are up for it, you could meet out here for a couple of hours a week- learn from different masters that can show you their areas of magic and get you started on your journey. Once you get started in an area, you’ll have an idea of how to continue on your own path. Any questions you have, just call out into the pyronet and someone will be able to answer.”

Rey suddenly realized how never learning to use the pyronet had kept her in the state of confusion she’d been in all this time. She wanted to kick herself realizing she could have reached out to someone the moment she’d arrived. 

Then again… had she done that she may have returned to her time immediately and never found the path she was meant to be on. Fate did have a way of making sure certain things happened...

“We can’t ask you to risk that…” Ben said, realizing what they were offering. “Bringing people here every week- if any of you were discovered…”

“How do you think we’ve survived this long- a whole outlawed nation of people right under the nose of another nation- if we weren’t gifted with not being seen?” Lor asked. 

“He makes a very good point.” Rey smiled. 

Ben sighed. He knew this was something they were meant to do together, as daunting as it felt. Putting it off would only prolong the inevitable. “A couple hours a week…” He finally said. “We already ride out at least one afternoon a week together. I suppose it won’t get noticed if we just keep doing what we’ve been doing.”

Rey’s heart filled with joy as he agreed to it. “Oh Ben! This is wonderful! I’m so excited!” She squealed, throwing her arms around his neck. 

“We’re still going to have to keep up all of our responsibilities at court while somehow mastering all of magic... A wedding to plan, a coronation…” The details of everything that lay ahead suddenly felt a bit overwhelming.

“We’ll figure it out… together.” She said pulling away and looking up at him. 

He smiled again as he looked down at her. It was everything he needed to hear.

“Together…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well... that was a lot! These two certainly have their work cut out for them.
> 
> For those that caught the term time lord, I'll be borrowing terms from all sorts of fandoms as I try to make the Force fit into Paganism lol.
> 
> In case this isn't super clear already, this story is in no way meant to accurately depict real life religions. The religions depicted in this story are meant to represent parts of the Star Wars universe. Catholicism is the Empire/First Order, Protestants are the Rebellion/Resistance, and Pagans are Force sensitives. Except in this story there's a lot more of them hiding out than Ben and Rey could call on in canon... That should make their journey an exciting one. 😊


	12. Old Fears, New Challenges

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben and Rey talk more about all that lays ahead. Ben has a few surprises in store for Rey while she prepares for her new life at court... 
> 
> Here's a little mood board I did for this chapter. Manip by me!

“I suppose we’ll leave you two to it then.” Lor spoke up. “It’s clear you two have a lot to talk about.”

“That’s a fair assessment.” Rey smiled. “If we have more questions… like you said we just call out to you through the flames?”

“Exactly.” Avar assured her. “If we don’t hear it right away we’ll hear it eventually. Or someone else who may be able to help may hear it. You’ll have no shortage of folks eager and willing to help anytime you reach out, trust me on that.”

“Thank you…” Ben blurted out. “For your help… it’s more than we could have asked for.”

The three looked at him a little surprised. He’d been the least talkative and the most confused by the conversation they’d had. The sudden expression of gratitude was a welcome surprise. 

“You’re more than welcome.” Avar smiled, her eyes narrowing on him again if she were thinking about something. 

“You’ll earn that name by the way, we have no doubt.” Lor smiled.

Moments later they were gone. 

“Those were the oddest people I’ve ever met.” Ben said, still unsure what to think of the two they’d just encountered. He could tell they meant well, but everything about them had felt stranger than anything he’d ever known.

Rey laughed. “Magic folk are a bit different than non magic folks. Something about the sensitivity to the forces of nature makes them… march to the beat of a different drum if you will.”

“Different is right…” Ben said, looking back the direction they’d just left. Suddenly he couldn’t help but smile. As odd as they’d been, they’d were the first pair of people other than Rey that he’d been able to openly discuss a huge part of himself with. In addition to the confusion he’d just felt, the experience had been… oddly liberating. 

He suddenly remembered several parts of their conversation he’d been meaning to ask about. “What was all that, about another queen that didn’t have magic but lost her head …”

Rey’s chest suddenly felt heavy as she looked up at him. She’d just broken the news of time travel and wasn’t anywhere near ready to discuss the changes that had occurred in history yet. As she thought about it, she very much needed to ask Lor and Avar a few more questions privately before taking on the task of explaining it to Ben.

Finally she knew what she needed to say. “I hope you can trust me on this one- That’s something we should probably discuss later, once you’ve had more time to get used to the basic ideas and concepts of magic. You already have a lot to process and probably wouldn’t even believe me if I told you.”

“So… it’s more unbelievable than time travel?” He couldn’t believe he was asking that.

“Yes, actually.” 

Ben stared at her blankly for a moment, realizing how much truth there may have been to her words. 

“Don’t tell me then. For now, there’s some things I’d rather not know.”

Rey smiled as she realized just how much he trusted her. She’d tell him everything eventually of course, when she was ready to and when she was sure he was ready to hear it. For now she was fairly certain they weren’t yet to that point. 

Noticing how late it was getting, the two of them decided to saddle up and start riding back towards the castle. As they started their ride, both felt relieved at having finally met people who could help them figure out all that had happened to them. 

The longer their ride went on though; old fears and anxieties began to creep into Ben’s heart.

The word “witch” hung in the back of his mind like a threat… 

In his time a word like that could mean certain death- especially for a woman. The matriarchal line of his own family had lived in constant fear of the truth of who they were being revealed. 

The closer he and Rey got to the edge of the woods, the more he began to fear all that could happen if anyone found out the truth of who they were before they were ready... 

Knowing what a big secret they carried, it became harder and harder for him to imagine they could ever be ready for such a thing to be revealed.

“Are you alright sweetheart?” Rey asked, sensing a conflict within him and seeing he’d grown silent. 

Ben swallowed hard as the enormity of what they’d just agreed to continued to grow in his mind.

“Well… a couple of hours ago I thought you were from this time and fires were nothing more than burning piles of wood. It’s safe to say few things have changed.”

“It’s a lot to take in, isn’t it?” She smiled, overcome with joy by the feeling of finally being able to discuss these things with him. 

A slow smile began to spread across Ben’s face. “Yes… it is a lot but, I suppose in a good way…” 

His smile faded again as the reality of all they discussed continued to weigh on him. The excitement of all he’d just discovered about himself and Rey had made the realities of the world they lived in feel a bit distant at first. 

Now that they were heading back to court, those realities suddenly felt a lot more real…

“God, did we really think through all we just signed up for?” He said, his voice suddenly tense.

Rey’s heart ached as she felt the fear that had begun to creep into his heart. 

“Sweetheart it’s like they said, no one expects all of this to happen by tomorrow. We haven’t said we’re going to change the country overnight. Just that we’re going to work on developing the skills that are available to us… to see where that takes us. Whatever comes after that, we’ll face it together when we get there.”

Ben barely heard a word she’d said. His thoughts had begun to consume him as more and more realities of the life they shared hit him... 

The church he’d been baptized and raised in certainly wouldn’t be open to the notion of a Catholic prince allowing old religions back into the land…

The neighboring Christian nations that surrounded them wouldn’t be too keen on the idea either…

Out of everything though, one fear was clearest in his mind… the fear of how he’d explain all of this to the heart of his world…

“Mary…” He finally said out loud. “Some of her only memories of her mother are of saying the rosary, praying to the saints. How do we explain all of this… I have a daughter who’s mother’s faith meant a great deal to her….”

“ _We ___do Ben.” Rey corrected him. “She’s going to be my stepdaughter now too.”

“Right...” Ben smiled.

Rey of course realized what he’s saying. He was afraid discovering this part of himself would mean his daughter would lose something that connected her to the mother she’d lost. She did her best to think of how to explain it. 

“I suppose one advantage of being from the future is I’ve seen a time when faiths are allowed to coexist. Following one faith doesn’t mean you can’t honor another. Faiths don’t cancel each other out… unless you only have enough room in your heart for one. I think we can manage raising Mary as a Catholic. We can still pray with her, celebrate the feasts and fasts as her mother would have wanted her to. I knew several families growing up who practiced more than one faith.”

“Really?!” The thought struck Ben as more than a little odd. In the world he’d been born into, religion had always been something people killed for, died for, and fought wars over. The idea of homes practicing more than one faith flew in the face of everything he knew. 

“Absolutely. In fact, the more I think of it, the more that makes sense. You were raised as a Catholic, I was raised as a Pagan… between the two of us we already honor both faiths. If we want to someday have a country that allows all faiths to be respected, it only makes sense that would be led by a royal family who led by example.”

The idea of a royal family honoring multiple faiths blew Ben’s mind about as much as the concept of time travel.

“I wouldn’t even know where to begin imagining such a thing…” He said, looking a bit lost.

Rey stopped Silence for a moment as they got to the edge of the forest. Seeing she’d stopped, Ben halted as well. 

“Trust me sweetheart, I’ve studied history my whole life.” Rey said, a seriousness coming into her tone. “I know just as well as you do what a revolutionary if not dangerous concept this is, and like I said earlier this absolutely won’t be something that happens quickly. It will be something we take on together, small steps at a time. If at any time it feels as though it’s getting to be overwhelming, let me know and we can slow down. This is something we both need to be in together, on the same page. If there’s anything you’re not comfortable with, I don’t want any part of it either.”

Ben was finally able to relax with that reassurance. Seeing how excited Rey had been, he’d been worried she hadn’t thought it all through. He also knew how excited his own heart was at the idea- if that idea were something they could actually accomplish. He didn’t want her getting carried away, and even more so he didn’t want either of them letting their hearts make them rush into something that could endanger them both, not to mention the country they were tasked with leading. 

As he looked out over the moor, contemplating all that lay ahead, someone else who’d been a big influence on his life suddenly came into his mind.

He sighed deeply as he voiced the thought. “My grandmother Margret is going to be rolling in her grave.”

“What?” Rey wasn’t sure what she’d expected, but it hadn’t been that.

“Let’s just say she was the most Catholic woman that ever existed.” Ben explained.

“That bad huh?”

“ _Worse. ___” He laughed, but after a moment his smile faded. Rey could tell Ben was a bit troubled recalling the memory of his grandmother.

“She was always kind to me, too kind if I’m honest. It was obvious she spoiled me above all of my other siblings. She didn't do anything to hide the fact that I was her favorite grandson. Had she known I was, well, I wouldn’t really want to think what she would have done. It was no secret she’d have burned my mother alive the first chance she got. She may have thrown me on the pyre with her had she found out…” His words suddenly trailed off.

Rey was speechless. The admission was one of the most shocking things she’d ever heard.

After a moment he looked back up at her. “Remember how I said I knew all about complicated families?”

Rey’s eyes went wide as she suddenly realized just how deep this all ran for Ben. As much as this was liberating a part of him that he’d always had to hide from the world, it also brought back up old fears- fears that were as basic and primal as the dynamics of a family itself. 

Rey leaned over and took his hand, holding it tightly as she looked deep into his eyes with what she said next. 

“The complicated family you grew up in… that’s all in the past now. Whatever threats your grandmother made to your mother, whatever she tried to hold over you... I can’t begin to understand that nor would I pretend that were possible. What’s important though is you and I are each other’s family now, and the creators of our own destinies. Whatever we want this country to be under our rule, we’ll find a way to make it happen- however long it takes, and whether or not that makes those who came before us turn over in their graves.”

Ben looked at her for a moment, his smile finally coming back. 

“How are you able to do that?” He asked.

“Do what?”

“When the world feels like it’s too much, when it feels like I’m drowning and unable to breathe by how overwhelming things have become… you somehow find a way for things to make sense again. You pull me back to the surface, back to the light, if you will.”

“I guess that’s a type of magic in itself.” Rey smiled. 

“Indeed…” He suddenly remembered they did have quite a bit to look forward to, in addition to all the work that lay ahead. “What are your plans for tomorrow?”

Rey hadn’t really thought that far ahead yet. So far she’d just been taking things day by day. “I’m not sure yet, why?”

“I wouldn’t plan on sleeping in like we have been. There’s something very important you’ll need to see to in the morning.”

“And what might that be?” Rey asked, intrigued.

“Bit of a surprise I had planned, that’s all…”

*****

The next morning Rey waited patiently with Ben in the receiving area of the royal apartments. The excitement she sensed in him gave her an idea of what was coming- he was about to share things with her that meant a great deal to him. 

Suddenly the door burst open and several servants carried in the finest fabrics Rey had ever seen, bolts of damasks and silks from Italy and France. The room filled with colors and textures as the materials piled up on the tables and couches around them. Behind them came the court tailors. The excitement and urgency on their faces made it clear they had a huge amount of work ahead. 

“It’s time we get you fitted for a new wardrobe.” Ben smiled. “You’ll have several engagements in the next few weeks where you’ll need to shine above all others in the room.”

Rey’s eyes took in the array of materials still being brought in. Spools of elaborate trim and rich furs began to arrive alongside the fabrics. A whole sea of materials waited for her to pick her favorites as she planned what she’d wear during the next chapter of her life.

“My goodness-” She gasped, taking it all in. “I’ve never seen so many fine things…” The wardrobe she’d worn during her early time at court had been the most extravagant clothing she’d ever worn. Unkar had spent a significant fortune making sure his daughters shined above all other courtiers as much as they could. All of that paled in comparison to the spread that had been brought in front of her this morning- a spread truly fit for a queen. 

Ben’s excitement built as a few boxes were brought in- small, leather bound boxes with ornate silver clasps.

“You’ll need a fine wardrobe to match these…” He said, taking one of the boxes and bringing it over. As he opened it, the sparkle contained inside nearly took Rey’s breath away. 

She’d seen the crown jewels several times before- worn by monarchs when visiting the past or on school field trips to the Tower of London in her own time. Seeing them up close like this however was an experience all it’s own. Before they’d been worn by legends she’d grown up reading about in history books, or locked away firmly behind bullet proof glass. 

Now, they were displayed before her, available for her to hold and touch and _wear ___as her very own...

The glow in Rey’s eyes as she took in the sight had been exactly what Ben had hoped for. 

“They’ve been locked away for some time.” He said. “It’s time they were brought out and worn by a woman worthy of them again. I have no doubt all those at court will be thrilled to see them return.”

“Oh Ben…” She said, running her fingers over the cascade of rubies that adorned the extraordinary necklace in the box he held. “I can’t believe this is all for me…”

“We will need to have them reset.” He brought out more boxes of jewels to open, setting them all out on the table. The spread or emeralds, rubies, diamonds, sapphires, and amethysts that laid out in front of her made it a little hard to breathe for a moment. 

“Reset?” The word felt a bit overwhelming as she said it.

“Of course. Every queen has her jewels reset to her own liking- to create a collection as unique as she is. My mother and Katherine both did it, now it’s your turn.”

“My God… I wouldn’t know where to begin.” The finest piece of jewelry Rey had ever owned up to this point had been the iconic heirloom B necklace she wore at court, and of course the engagement ring Ben had given her. The ocean of jewels that laid out before her now was a world of luxury unlike anything she’d ever known.

“I’m sure you’ll think of something.” Ben smiled. 

“I’ll do my best.” She said, marveling at a crown of diamonds that had caught her eye. 

As she looked over the pieces displayed before her, she realized Katherine’s style had been much more traditional, gothic even, than anything she’d have picked. She was sure they’d been stunning to behold on the beautiful Spanish woman that had worn them, but they certainly wouldn’t fit the kind of person Rey was. They were all a bit more dramatic than she could imagine herself wearing. 

As she thought about it, she could already envision creating a collection of pieces a bit more sleek, organic… modern almost, at least as she knew it. She’d make sure it still fit the style of the day, but she was ready to introduce Tudor court to styles and aesthetics they’d never seen before. 

“My lady, if you could come this way so we could get started.” The head taylor remarked. 

“Absolutely…” Rey said. Anne Boleyn had been an icon of fashion in her own time... Rey Boleyn was going to make sure she’d do the same.

*****

Lying in bed together that night, Rey found the courage to ask something she’d been meaning to ask about since their talk in the woods.

“Sweetheart do you mind if I ask you something, about what we talked about in the woods yesterday?”

Ben looked at her a little confused. “ _You ___have a question for _me ___about all we talked about?”

“Not about magic…” Rey smiled. “About all you said about… complicated families.”

Ben closed his eye and smiled as he relaxed back into his pillow. “You know you can ask me anything about that. Like I said, I’ve got plenty of experience in that area.”

“What you said about your grandmother Margaret… Everything I’ve read about her makes her one of the most dramatic characters in history to read about, but also one of the most confusing. I know she was incredibly religious… was it your experience that’s what really drove her?”

Rey could feel the energy drain out of him as he thought about it. “She was… a complicated woman, to be sure… What I said about her playing favorites, that pretty much defined who she was.”

That statement only seemed to complicate the mater for Rey. “How so, if you don’t mind me asking?”

Ben sighed, realizing he’d better just let it all out. Memories of his childhood and adolescence began to come back as he recalled a time in his life that had been as joyful as it was confusing. 

“I didn’t realize it when I was a child but… as I grew older it was a bit more obvious what she was doing. She favored me because I took after my father, far more than my siblings. My father was her only child and she thought the world began and ended with him. If a man could rule England by himself and have children by himself she probably would have preferred that. No one would have ever been good enough for him. The fact that my mother came from a rival family to their own- the fact that they needed her to seal their hold on the throne- she tried to hide it but it ate away at her _constantly ___. My father falling madly in love with her didn’t help either.” He laughed to himself as he remembered how it had been among the three of them...

His laughter faded as he came to the heart of the matter. “The thing about grandma Margret was she had a thirst for power like many people at court. Unlike them though she had a son she’d managed to place on the throne. My mother explained it to me once- She was the kind of person that lived her life for this one ultimate goal, and once she’d achieved it she didn’t know what to do with herself because it never made her happy like she’d thought it would. She’d thought once my father was king all her problems would be solved. Once he was, well, being the royal family is no way to make your life simple and happy. On top of that, she had a daughter in law that reminded her of everything she wasn’t- a queen in her own right, kind, charming- which made her beloved by all who knew her. In the end putting my father on the throne just led to her being reminded of all the reasons she wasn’t happy in the first place, which of course made her even more miserable.”

It was a lot for Rey to take in. “Your mother told you all of that or you picked up on that?”

Ben smiled as he thought about it. 

“A mix of both you could say. Growing up in a complicated family, you pick up on a lot about people.”

Another thought struck Rey, one she hadn’t expected. “So you took after your father, not your mother?” As much as he’d talked about his mother Rey figured he’d been more like her. 

“I guess that’s a bit ironic. I inherited my mother’s gifts but most would say I take after my father a bit too much.” 

“Why would that be?” Rey loved hearing about Ben’s family she never met. The more he explained them, the more she began to understand the man he’d become.

“I suppose as my future wife you have the joy of lifetime ahead of you of finding that out for yourself.” 

Rey smiled. “Speaking of which, when are we going to start planning the announcement of our engagement?”

“There is one other important thing we must do… before we make that announcement.”

“What’s that?”

Ben grinned from ear to ear, not about to give away another big surprise he’d been planning for some time.

“What… tell me?!” Whatever it was, she could sense it was something big.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ben's admission about his grandma... It would appear the things that have tormented his soul may have been a bit closer to home in this story. 😢
> 
> I mentioned earlier we'll be following story lines on family history from The White Queen, The White Princess, and The Spanish Princess. The same goes for past family dynamics. Perhaps I should have given Margaret Beaufort the name Magaret Vader... nah that would be giving her too much credit haha.


	13. Surprises

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey receives the surprise Ben had planned for her. Later the two of them talk about all that lays ahead. They realize another adventure may be on the horizon that neither anticipated. 
> 
> Here's Ben sitting by the fire later in the chapter, talking with Rey about all they have to look forward to... hot damn this man looks amazing in velvet. 😍

A week after their first surprise meeting in the woods, Rey and Ben stood with Lor and Avar in the same clearing together. Ben was focused on a task all magic people learned when they first began testing their skills. 

_That’s it sweetheart, I can tell you feel it in your heart, now… let that power come out into the world… ___He heard Rey say through their bond.

Her words were all the encouragement Ben needed to know he’d nail the task he’d been given. 

After a few seconds, he reached his hand out and shot a cascade of sparks into the pile of kindling in front of them. A loud snap echoed through the forest as it instantly burst into flames.

“That was incredible!” Rey said, throwing her arms around his neck. “I can’t believe you did that on your first try… It must have taken me weeks to get that when my mother first taught me!”

Ben wrapped his arms around her, slowly bringing his right hand up behind her to marvel at his fingers that had just created the blaze that now burned wildly in front of them. The flames of the fire crept higher and higher, snapping and flickering as they consumed the branches above. 

“I guess you could say I have a great teacher…” He smiled, holding her tighter as his mind filled with the wonder of all the possibilities that lay ahead.

*****

Rey smoothed the red velvet skirt of her new dress as she patiently waited for the king’s groom to announce her to the court. Two new handmaidens stood behind her, women of the court who’d been appointed to assist her as she prepared for her new role. Today they held a red velvet and ermine robe as they waited dutifully behind her. Rey and Ben’s engagement would be announced soon, but first Ben had wasted no time arranging a surprise he’d kept a secret as long as he could. 

The court tailors and seamstresses had finished her new dress just in time for the occasion, and the court jewelers had created an extraordinary ruby necklace and earrings set to accompany it. Rey was still getting used to the idea that such extravagant jewels were her own. She might not officially be a queen yet, but she could work on getting used to dressing like one- especially for an occasion as special as the one she was about to walk into. 

Aside from her ladies, Rey waited alone as her father and brother had just been ennobled before her. They’d been given lands and titles that would make them the envy of all those at court. Of course, their status would be second only to the honors Rey was about to receive.

“Make way for the Lady Rey and her ladies, Make way!”

The large oak doors of the court swung open as the groom’s voice thundered throughout the space. Rey clasped her hands together tightly and her heart began to pound in her ears as she and her ladies walked into the court. Sunlight streamed through the high windows, glittering off the rubies around her neck and sending a cascade of red sparkles reflecting in every direction. Courtiers on both sides of the hall cleared out of the way in front of her, the sight nearly taking the breath away as she passed. 

Rey might have noticed the looks of awe and wonder around her, had her nerves not made her focus squarely on the one person she needed to see most in that moment. Ben’s proud smile glowing back at her was just what she needed to keep her feet moving down the long expanse of the room. 

For a moment she remembered the first time she’d seen Ben walk down this same aisle- the first time they’d ever laid eyes on each other. When he’d turned to take his seat on the throne, he’d looked at her like her very presence had thrown everything he’d known into question. 

That look had drawn up so many emotions within her… 

Excitement over the sudden connection they seemed to share… Lust for the beautiful man who’s attention had been focused solely on her… Fear over what that could mean- and sadness at the thought that she knew better than to hope for anything to come of it.

Now he was seated on the same throne, smiling at her with a certainty and love that warmed her to the deepest parts of her soul. This was the first step they’d take together in the journey of a lifetime, a journey that felt like they’d waited their entire lives to begin. 

As Rey made her way to the front of the court she was able to spot her father, brother, and sister already standing on the dais behind the king. Her father and brother had already been robed, crowned, and received the patents of their nobility. Mary hadn’t been given a title herself just yet, but from the look on her face Rey could tell she couldn’t care less. 

Charles was among the crowned nobles present, and as usual he’d made sure Mary’s spot was next to him. In spite of the pageantry going on in front of them, neither were able to take their eyes of each other. It was clearer every day Rey and Ben hadn’t been the only two caught in a rapidly blossoming romance at court. She imagined the two of them might have their own announcement to make in the months that lay ahead... 

Rey finally came to stop in front of Ben. It nearly took her breath away how handsome he was in this moment. The gold crown atop his head stood out dramatically against his dark locks, and his powerful shoulders seemed even more impressive robed in ermine and red velvet.

The other nobles who stood around him were robed in furs and crowned as well, distinguishing them from all others present. Rey kept her eyes locked on Ben as she knelt gracefully on the pillow that awaited her- a feat she’d had to practice several times in the layers of fabric she now wore. Thankfully she pulled it off without a second thought. 

For perhaps the first time since Rey had arrived in this new lifetime, she felt her new father looking at her with nothing but pride and joy as he watched her kneel before the king. It was an unusual feeling, but Rey knew to take the small victories when they came.

Standing next to Ben, his advisor Thomas Cromwell opened a scroll as he began to read from it:

“To all and singular, as well nobles and gentiles as others to whom these presents shall come- It is the king’s pleasure, by this patent, to confer on the Lady Rey Boleyn, in her own right and on her offspring, the noble title of Marquess of Pembroke. And also by this patent, to grant her lands worth 100,000 pounds a year, for the maintaining of her dignity.”

Cromwell rolled the scroll back up as Ben pushed his robe open to stand. He walked down from the dais and took Rey’s hands, helping her back to her feet. One of the king’s page’s came forward, carrying a crown on a red velvet pillow. Ben took the crown and held up before the court for a moment before gently placing it on Rey’s head. The two of them couldn’t help but smile at each other as he did it. 

The crown had a red velvet dome like the others the nobles wore, and it’s edge was lined with ermine. Unlike the other nobles, Rey’s crown was embellished with Amethysts- a special touch Ben had seen to. Purple was the color of royalty, and the purple stones signified to the rest of the court she was now to be seen as royalty in her own right. 

Ben stepped behind her and took the robe from her ladies, shaking it out just before draping it around her shoulders. As his arms went around her to wrap her in the fur’s warmth, he could sense how nervous she was. 

He leaned in for a moment to whisper a few words of encouragement. 

“You look magnificent sweetheart.” He said, grasping her shoulder as he kissed her behind her ear. Rey couldn’t help but lean into him for a moment as he did it. 

The display of affection naturally raised a few eyebrows in the room, not that Rey minded one bit. Along with the calming affect of Ben’s touch, the display of affection from the man she loved came with a sense of relief. For the first time since arriving at court, she was finally able to enjoy the two of them not hiding who they were anymore.

Seconds later Ben had stepped back around in front of her. Cromwell took a knee and bowed to Ben as he handed him the scrolls he’d read from earlier. Ben nodded to him then turned to Rey. 

“The patent of your nobility.” He smiled at her proudly, handing her the scrolls. 

“Thank you, your majesty.” She smiled back, cradling the large scrolls in her arm. 

Rey’s powers had grown exponentially the past few weeks, and it was those keen senses that alerted her to a feeling she was used to sensing by now…

The sting of jealousy was unmistakable as it filled the area in front of the dais. 

As she’d grown in the Ben’s affections, jealousy was something Rey had become accustomed to sensing from other courtiers. It didn’t phase her normally, but who this particular feeling was coming from came as a bit of a surprise… 

Ben stared deeply into her eyes as he took her hand and kissed it. The act made another clear wave of jealousy burn out of Hux. Rey thought she’d confused where it was coming from for a second, but looking up at him the stone cold look in his eyes was obvious. The love and devotion Ben was showing her seemed to be the sole cause of it… 

In that moment, a mountain of realizations about her new brother washed over Rey as every interaction they’d ever had suddenly became abundantly clear. 

Rey did her best to focus on the task at hand as Ben took her hand and together they turned to face the court. 

“His majesty the King, and the Lady Rey Boleyn, Marquesse of Pembroke!” The groom’s voice thundered throughout the space as he announced them. 

Together they walked forward as all the courtiers in the room bowed and greeted the two of them as they passed by. 

Rey spotted Cardinal Snoke among the courtiers present almost immediately. He did his best not to sneer at her as he bowed to the two of them. She flashed the best smile she could muster for him, letting him know even his signature sourness couldn’t spoil a day as special as this one. 

Once they walked through the doorway at the end of the hall and were away from the crowds, Rey felt as if she could finally breathe for the first time since entering the hall. As exciting as it was to be ascending to a place of prominence at court, the nervousness of public appearances was still something she was getting used to.

After coming down from the rush of all that had just happened, Rey suddenly felt the need to voice a question that had begun burning in her mind just moments before.

“Sweetheart, have you ever spoken with my brother?” She asked as casually as she could manage.

Ben looked a bit surprised by the question. “Not more than once or twice… why?”

“Nothing specific just… something I noticed.” 

Ben paused as he tried to think of why she might be asking that. “You never gave me the feeling he was someone you were close to- that you very much had your reasons for that?”

“Oh trust me I did but, well-” Rey turned to glance back toward the hall they’d just left, figuring she’d better keep what she’d sensed to herself. “Something tells me I might need to give him a second chance..”

“Well, good luck with it.” Ben laughed. 

“I’m sure I’ll need it.” Rey replied.

*****

That evening Rey and Ben sat in front of the fire in Ben’s bedchamber. Together they watched as figures appeared every so often to send their regards and to share news. It was part of their night time routine they’d developed over the past few weeks- checking in with those who were most excited about everything their new chapter as king and queen would bring. 

Rey had called out a couple of times already to see if she could find other time lords, hoping to find a nearby portal to travel through to check on her family. Unfortunately she hadn’t heard anything back yet. 

By now she’d talked enough with Avar privately to know her family should still be there when she traveled back to her own time. The world she’d once known might be a bit different however. There was no way of knowing just how different yet, but one thing was for sure. Her history books would read quite a bit differently than what she was used to. 

As Rey sat watching the flames, she did her best to ignore her aggravation at not having heard back from any of her kind just yet. Like many things, it was part of getting used to the very different world she now found herself in.

She did her best to try and estimate just how many magical people there were alive in this time. Magical folk weren’t much for records keeping in her time... There certainly weren’t many figures to go on in this time. Whatever the numbers, there would be even less of them now than the time she’d known.

On top of there being fewer people in this time, time lords were the least common type of magic folk. She’d only known of a handful in her own time. There was her own family, and a couple other families scattered across the country who they kept in touch with.

If they were as scarce in this time as they had been in her own time, and populations were much smaller in the time she found herself in, she imagined it would take quite a bit of time to find any of them here... 

“Something’s on your mind, isn’t it?” Ben asked.

Rey looked up at him, surprised at having been seen through so easily. 

“It’s just the fact that I haven’t heard from anyone yet.” She sighed. “I’m not used to there being so few people in England.”

Ben looked at her puzzled. “England has a thriving population. We may not have as many as Spain or France, but we’re a small island and we still have a couple million people.”

Rey bit her lip as she held back a giggle. She didn’t want to come across as condescending, but a few million people was nothing compared to the England she knew. 

“Go ahead and say it.” Ben said, seeing she was holding back. 

“Say what?” Rey smiled. 

“Whatever you’re doing your best to not tell me. I know that look by now- that look you get when there’s some extraordinary detail about the future that you’re just bursting to get out.”

“When you put it that way…” Rey stared into the flames as she ran her fingers across the necklace she wore. “The thing is- The England I’m used to has quite a few more people than the one you’re used to.”

“By how many?” Ben asked, suddenly curious.

“By about… 50 million.”

“50 MILLION?!” Ben couldn’t believe what he’d just heard. She might as well have said 50 billion or 50 trillion. It would have sounded equally ridiculous. 

“Yes, over 60 million people inhabit this island in my time if you include Scotland and Wales.” 

Ben stared blankly in front of him for a moment, as if lost in thought. The more he heard about the future, the harder it was to believe any of it was real. 

“How do you feed a population of 60 million on an island this size?!” He finally asked.

“Well… I know ships bring food in from elsewhere. Farming is also a lot more efficient in my time, as is food storage. I’m not really an expert on the matter, but I do know it’s a lot easier to support large populations with the technology we have available.”

“Technology seems to be your answer for everything.” He smirked.

“In some ways it is… Like I said before, it has it’s ups and downs.”

Suddenly another thought struck Ben. “With 50 million people England must be the largest, most powerful country in the world…” 

“Not exactly...”

“So there’s countries with more people?” That was even harder to believe.

“Oh there definitely are…” Rey paused as she tried to remember population figures from her own time. “Germany has about ten or twenty million more than we do… The United States has a couple hundred million if I remember correctly… China and India have about a billion each or something like that…”

“The united what?” Ben asked, even more confused than he’d been before.

Rey’s mind spun as she tried to think of where to begin explaining the geo-political differences between the world of 2020 and the world of 1526. She realized that might be a bit much to take on after such a long day. 

“I’ll do my best to draw up a map at some point to help explain it… it might be a lot easier to talk about if I could lay it all out visually.”

“That makes sense…” Truth be told Ben was glad she was willing to leave such revelations for later. He had enough to think about with all they had coming up. 

After a few minutes of watching the flames together again, Rey realized Ben’s gaze seemed a bit lost as he watched figures coming in and out of the fire. He’d been so full of joy throughout the day’s festivities, but now that they were alone together he seemed exhausted. It felt like the day's events had taken everything he had to get through them. 

“Is there something troubling you sweetheart?” Rey asked, the tension in his mind becoming unmistakable. 

Ben smiled at also having been seen through so easily. “I can’t help but feel like we’re putting on a bit of an act for everyone.”

“How so?” 

“Well, we’re sneaking away to learn magic in the woods whenever we can. Meanwhile we’re also planning a big Catholic wedding for all the world to see. It feels a bit- disingenuous, that’s all.”

“You don’t like waiting for anything, do you?” Rey asked, breaking into a smile. 

“What’s that supposed to mean?” He asked, breaking into a smile of his own. He certainly couldn’t deny the truth of it. 

“I means when you know something is going to happen, when you want make something happen- you want to make sure it happens as quickly as possible. You hate the idea of waiting to see when the right time presents itself.”

“You picked up on that huh?”

“A little here and there.”

Ben looked back into the flames as another figure appeared. “It’s just, I have a hard time picturing where all this is going. How do we go from a Catholic nation that has a history of burning people for heresy to one that allows people to worship however they choose? Religion is something people have fought wars and slaughtered thousands over. How do we change people’s way of thinking when it’s been like that for so long? We’re just two people with an entire nation to convince…”

As Ben went on, an idea came into Rey’s mind that nearly made her feel ill. Not that the idea itself made her ill, but the eerie similarity it represented in how history had played out before had her overcome with anxiety as she thought of it.

Ben stopped and looked at her for a moment, then took her hand. “Sweetheart you’re practically shaking. Did something I say upset you?”

“No, not at all…” Rey insisted. “It just, it made me think of something…”

“What?”

Rey sighed as she looked at him. The reassurance of his touch reminded her she could share anything with him. This wasn’t Henry VIII siting before her. This was Ben Tudor, her other half, the man she was supposed to share her heart and mind with in all things. 

“What are your thoughts… on Protestantism?” She finally found the courage to say. 

“The Lutherans?” Ben wasn’t sure where she was going with this. “What do you mean what are my thoughts on it?” 

“I mean their ideals- what they represent- what are your thoughts on what they believe?”

“I don’t really know that much about their ideals… other than the fact that they enjoy smashing icons and giving Pope Palpatine hell at every opportunity.” That last remark made him smile slightly, much as he tried to avoid it. 

Rey took a deep breath with what she was about to say. She knew she had no reason to fear speaking her mind with Ben, but still- A precedent had been set by another that had come before that made discussing what she was about to bring up more than a little nerve wracking. 

“It’s not all about smashing icons, there are some principles of it that might… apply to our situation.”

Ben looked at her skeptically. “Really? How so?”

“Well for one thing many Protestants believe kings should be the head of spiritual matters in their own countries. Some say that those ordained by God to rule should be concerned only with what benefits their own people- rather than swearing authority to some Pope they’ve never seen or met.”

“Go on…” The idea was as intriguing to Ben as it was dangerous. 

“Well, after the wedding and coronation of course… once we feel more secure in everything, we could talk about… possibly, breaking with Rome eventually, and creating a Church of England- one you’d be the head of where you’d have the freedom to declare religion a personal choice, rather than one mandated by the state.” 

Rey studied Ben closely as she said it to gauge his reaction. He shifted in his chair as he thought of it, not saying anything at first. The idea went against everything he’d been raised to believe as a ruler. The church had always meant protection and stability for his country. But after all he’d learned about himself and Rey, and the other’s who’d helped him understand those things- he’d learned that safety came at a price... 

That price was that people like him- people who looked to him as a leader and as symbol of hope- had to hide who they were for fear of losing their lives. 

As he thought about it he realized another awkward political truth- one that might get in the way of them ever being able to answer those questions if they didn’t get to it soon enough. 

“I agree something this…. groundbreaking, should certainly wait until after the wedding and coronation. But there is another matter we should probably see to before proposing anything so revolutionary.”

“And what would that be?”

A hint of mischief came into Ben’s voice as he looked back at the bed. “As a student of history you know as well as I do the key to securing one’s reign is producing heirs.”

“Male heirs, I take it?” Rey said flatly.

“Well yes, traditionally that’s the case but I’m up for trying as many times we as we need to.” He couldn’t help but smile as he said it.

Rey rolled her eyes. “I’m sure you are. I do hope you’ll let me have some say in the number of times we try.”

Ben looked at her a bit confused. “The number of times we try?”

Rey put her head in her hand as she realized the reality of her current situation. Birth control was another luxury she’d have to live without, at least for now. 

“Forget I said it.” She sighed. 

She noticed Ben was still eyeing her skeptically, wondering what she could have possibly meant. 

“Trust me sweetheart, I’m not going to cut you off from sex if that’s what you’re worried about.” She assured him.

“I would hope not…” Ben thought about it for a moment. “This is one of those future technology things, isn’t it?” 

“Yes… actually. Women can choose if and when they want to get pregnant or not in my time. It’s called birth control.”

“Why wouldn’t a woman want to have children?” The thought of preventing babies was an odd one for Ben.

Rey laughed. “Really, sweetheart? Children are hardly the most convenient aspect of a woman’s life...” 

“I’m not sure I follow you…”

Rey paused as her wealth of historical knowledge about society in the 1500s flooded her mind. The logistics of raising families in this time were quite a bit different than the time she knew. The wealthy had plenty of servants to raise their children for them, and for peasants they were added help on farms. Large families were seen as a blessing in this time no matter what part of society someone lived in.

She tried to think of how best to explain it to Ben. 

“In my time, people’s lives are a lot different. Most people live in cities rather than on farms. Children are an added expense, rather than more help with daily chores. Most families only have one to three children at the most. Families with four or more children are fairly rare.”

It was just one more detail about the future Ben found hard to believe. “So you’re telling me people choose to only have two or three children at most- yet the world somehow has hundreds of millions of people in it? That doesn’t seem possible.”

Rey realized she’d left out an important detail about what really made life in the future so different. 

“That’s another benefit of technology- medical technology specifically. Just about every child that’s born lives to adulthood. I can’t think of one person I know who had a child die of sickness after being born healthy. Even premature babies typically survive, so long as they’re only a month or two early.”

Ben’s eyes went wide with wonder as the idea of it washed over him. He looked into the fire again- his stomach suddenly heavy with the memory of the many loses he and Katherine had suffered.

Rey instantly regretted her last statement as soon as she saw the effect it had on Ben.

“I’m sorry sweetheart, I wasn’t thinking-“

“It’s fine… you were just telling me how things are. It’s great...that people don’t have to worry about those things.” He mumbled, his thoughts seeming to drift elsewhere.

Rey leaned forward, trying to catch his attention as she reassured him. “If we can find a portal for me to travel through- we wont have to worry about those things either.”

His gaze snapped to her. “How do you mean?”

“If we find someone that can help me figure out how to get back to visit my time- when we do start our family, I can travel back and forth, visit a doctor in my time- make sure everything is going well. If anything happens that has us worried about the health of one of our children, I can head to my time for the treatment they need.”

Ben was lost for words for a moment as he realized all that meant. “Well that… that would be wonderful!” He finally said. “I suppose we shouldn’t hope for babies right away then… let’s hope we can find one of your time lords first.”

“That would be ideal.” Rey smiled, glad he finally saw how important that was. “Not that I’m not looking forward to starting a family- just that having that option would be an added peace of mind.”

“I understand that more than you know.”

The heaviness of Ben’s words weighed on Rey’s heart. She was afraid to ask, but she couldn’t help but wonder just how many children he and Katherine had lost together. 

Sensing what she was thinking, Ben didn’t wait for her to ask. “We lost four children. Three were born too early. One- he lived about a month before a fever took him.”

Rey’s heart broke as his words sank in. It was the first time he’d talked with her about the children he’d lost in his first marriage. It was understandably something that weighed heavily on him. 

“Oh sweetheart, I’m so sorry-“ She said, her eyes brimming with tears. 

“Thank you…” He said, a bit lost for words himself. Finally he took her hand as a slight smile came over him again. “It’s comforting to know we won’t have to worry about that, at least, that there’s hope we won’t have to worry about that.”

Rey squeezed his hand as she held it, remembering what they’d been talking about earlier. “With all we’ve got ahead of us, I’ll take all the hope we can get.”

Just then a figure appeared in the flames that stood taller than any had before. It wasn’t someone they recognized from any earlier visions they’d seen in the fire. 

“Your majesties!” The man said, clearly excited to be addressing them. Rey thought she detected a hint of a northern accent mixed with his pagan accent as he spoke. “I’ve heard our lightning queen is looking for time lords. Unfortunately you won’t find any of them in England. They’re all in Scotland, or at least they have been for some time now. No one’s quite sure why, but they all left England during the wars for the crown. If it’s time lords you’re looking for, you’ll need to look farther north, around Inverness. That’s where they’re said to have gone. I’m Kit, by the way. If there’s any other way I might be of service to you, you need only ask.”

With that his message ended and he disappeared. 

Rey and Ben stared silently into the flames for a few moments, stunned by what they’d just heard. 

“Scotland…” Ben finally said. “I suppose we’ll need to go visit my sister Margaret if that’s the case. What do you think about a honeymoon in Scotland sweetheart?”

Rey squealed with excitement. “That sounds fantastic!” She couldn’t wait to see how 16th century Scotland compared to the one she knew.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A wedding, a coronation, and a trip to Scotland- these two have a lot to look forward to!


	14. Revelations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben and Rey's engagement is announced at court. As a week of celebrations kicks off, the two of them learn something incredible about their growing powers. 
> 
> Here's a manip of his majesty in all his glory riding into a jousting tournament... *Swoons* I do love a man in armor.  
> 

Rey couldn’t remember ever feeling as nervous and excited as she felt waiting in the court for the official announcement of her engagement to the king. Unkar’s cheerful disposition only added to those nerves of course. Nothing put her on edge like the level of self-satisfaction he was displaying this morning with the knowledge of what was coming. 

Adding to her nerves was the fact that Hux had been unusually cross this particular morning, even for himself. As her second closest male relative he’d been present for the formal betrothal. The jealously she’d sensed from him had been every bit as hot as it had been at her ennobling ceremony. Rey had a clear idea of why by now, but did her best to act none the wiser. 

Still, Hux wasn’t making it easy for his dislike for the current situation to go unnoticed.

“ _God in heaven ___, will they get it over with...” Her brother sighed as they waited in the great hall for the official news.

“Come now my son… our fortunes are about to be made.” Unkar whispered under his breath. “Once your sister takes her place by the king’s side, we’ll see to having you betrothed to some beautiful, rich courtier. You’ll have your pick of the women here at court. That should cheer you up enough.”

Hux rolled his eyes, the thought clearly not giving him any joy at all.

“Have you two seen Mary this morning?” Rey asked casually, trying to change the subject and lighten the mood. 

“No doubt she’s off somewhere with that loathsome fool Brandon.” Hux scoffed.

“Indeed.” Unkar practically cheered. “Both my daughters pursuing such marvelous catches… perhaps _you ___should be the one taking notes from _them ___, Hux.”

The scowl that came over Hux from that remark could have cut diamonds. A look that once would have had Rey brushing him off now made her heart ache for him. 

It all but confirmed what she’d been suspecting, and with it came a sharp pang of guilt over her own happiness. All this time she’d thought her brother’s bullying was just him choosing to go along with their father’s self serving machinations. It turned out there was something much deeper to the pain he was choosing to project. 

Rey hadn’t thought about it before, but as a young eligible bachelor Hux’s prospects for marriage were just as important to her father as her and her sister’s. Unkar’s children’s futures were his own future. Any alliances made through their marriages would benefit him. Now that she and Mary appeared to have as promising prospects as any woman at court could hope for, their father’s focus would naturally shift to Hux- making sure his son settled down and did his duty as his father’s only son to continue the Boleyn name. 

Rey tried to imagine the kind of existential dread that would bring up in a person, knowing they were about to be forced into an arranged match they didn’t want any part of.

Watching his sister become part of a match it seemed he might have liked for himself… that certainly wouldn’t have made what he was going through any easier. 

Without meaning to Rey glanced to look at Hux, wishing there was something she could do to make an incredibly awkward situation easier. The anger she sensed still seething out of him was as hot as if she’d turned her face toward an open fire. 

In that moment she realized it was impossible for her to ever begin to understand that anger. All she could do was give him the space he needed to figure it out- if that were even possible. All she could do now was to be patient with him and wait- wait to see if he ever chose to be honest with her about who he was. Perhaps, if he saw her not reacting either way to his treatment of her, his guard might come down... 

Suddenly horns sounded silencing the crowd. 

“His Majesty The King, and Master Thomas Cromwell!” the groom announced once the crowd had quieted. 

Ben and his secretary Thomas Cromwell made their way up to the dais. Rather than taking his seat on the throne, Ben turned to look out over the crowd in Rey’s direction, spotting her immediately. As soon as he’d caught her eye he spoke up. 

“Lady Boleyn, would you come join me?” He said, smiling mischievously.

Rey couldn’t help but also smile from ear to ear as her face suddenly felt hot. She hadn’t expected to be called forward to join him during the formal announcement, but then again Ben had his own way of doing things. 

The crowd parted and Rey walked up to join Ben as quickly as her feet would carry her. She felt every eye in the room on her as she moved through the crowd of courtiers.

Once she took her place at Ben’s side, he reached out and took her hand, squeezing it tightly. The love in his eyes as he smiled back at her was everything she needed. All eyes in the room seemed to melt away as they waited for their exciting news to be announced. 

Neither noticed Cromwell raising his eyebrows at the unexpected display of affection, not that he was bothered by it. He just couldn’t remember having ever seen the king act like this before. 

Cromwell quickly unrolled the scroll he’d brought with him and began reading from it. Rey’s heart pounded in her ears as she heard the words.

“It gives his royal highness King Kylo VIII of England great pleasure to announce to his loyal subjects that on this morning, the 3 of October 1526, he was formally betrothed in front of witnesses and members of the clergy to the Lady Rey Boleyn, Marquesse of Pembroke.”

The hall began to buzz with excitement as soon as the official words had been said. Cromwell ignored the hushed murmurs and continued.

“The royal wedding will take place on the 1st of November, to be followed by Lady Boleyn’s coronation ten days hence. 

“Further details about the wedding and coronation will be announced in due course. 

“From this morning forth, it is his majesty’s pleasure to host a weeklong celebration of jousts and feasts to celebrate this most joyous news.”

The moment the announcement came to an end all those the room erupted into applause accompanied by cheers of excitement. The court hadn’t had much to celebrate in a long time, and all were ready to see a new chapter of life and beauty begin. 

Ben couldn’t hold back from leaning over and kissing Rey as his court celebrated around him. He’d waited so long to share his excitement with his subjects, and now that the day was here he wasn’t about to hide his affection for the woman he loved any longer. 

If being called forward came as a surprise to Rey, a kiss in front of the court was a total shock. The joy in her heart burst along with the crowd in front of them, who only cheered louder at the sight of their king so blissfully in love. 

Though they’d done their best to keep the news secret over the past month, Rey and Ben’s happiness had been apparent to all who’d seen them together. The announcement came as no surprise, and the joy that they’d brought into each other’s lives seemed to have brought new life into the court as well. 

A week of celebrations would be the perfect start to what was sure to be a beautiful new era for the English throne… 

*****

A wave of applause roared through the bleachers around the yard as another pair of knights were announced to joust. Rey’s stomach was full of butterflies with the excitement of the day. Their engagement had been officially announced, and now she was seated next to Ben as the Lord and Lady of Honor of a tournament held to celebrate their joyous news. 

Though Rey had witnessed plenty of jousting tournaments in her own time at modern Renaissance Fairs, this was an experience all it’s own. This was jousting in it’s prime- as it was meant to be watched- the most popular sport in the land with all the pageantry and wonder that Tudor England could muster. 

In her time she’d always sat on steel bleachers, watching and cheering with the other “commoners” present as costumed knights did their best to recreate safe versions of matches for mock nobles that reigned over the events. 

She’d certainly never sat in the Berfrois- the best seats in the house where nobles sat- and she’d never dreamed of herself raining over a tilt yard as the lady of honor. 

Her eyes were wide with wonder as she took it all in. Every sight and sound of the tournament seemed to push her excitement to new heights. She couldn’t get enough of the extraordinary displays of chivalry and athleticism taking place in front of her. 

Ben sensed her excitement as the next two competitors lined up. He reached over and squeezed her hand, whispering in her ear “this is all for you sweetheart.” Before kissing her on the cheek. Showering Rey with kisses in full view of his court was something he was enthusiastically getting used to.

“I really can’t believe it.” Rey whispered back. “It’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen.”

“Well you’d better get used to it.” Ben smiled. “I plan to celebrate my beautiful wife as often as court will allow me.”

Hearing him use the word “wife” to refer to her was just one more thing to add to the excitement of the day. The thrill of appearing together publicly as a couple, the honor of being seated so prominently, the joy of all that the day’s celebrations were meant to herald- it was all a reminder that a new chapter of life awaited both of them- one they couldn’t wait to begin together. 

Throughout the first few matches, Rey couldn’t help but notice Ben becoming increasingly fidgety as he watched the knights. She did her best not to laugh as he grumbled under his breath about when a rider should have done something differently. His scoffs and critiques of the riders were hard to ignore however. The longer it went on, the more uneasy he seemed just being one of the crowd. 

“Is something on your mind, my love?” She finally asked side eyeing him. 

“What, me?” He replied, doing his best to play dumb. 

“Yes you- You’ve barely sat back from the edge of your seat this whole time.”

“It’s an exciting sport to watch.” He mumbled, glancing to see if she bought it. 

“Sure it is…” Rey said skeptically, holding back a smile as she to look back at the yard. 

A few minutes later Ben couldn’t stand it anymore. As much as he wanted to sit with Rey and enjoy the occasion, the part of him that longed to dive into the list was overwhelming. It felt like ages since he’d ridden in a tournament and he couldn’t wait to get back out and be and be a part of it. 

“If you’ll excuse me for a moment sweetheart, there’s… something I must attend to.” He kissed her again as he did his best to make a quick escape. 

Rey watched as he made his way off the Berfrois and headed toward their tent. Of course she had a fairly solid idea what he was up to. 

“Have it your way then.” She said to herself. The idea of Ben jousting made her nervous, but she wasn’t about to hold him back from something that clearly made him as excited as child on Christmas morning. She did her best to tell herself it would be fine as she settled back into the most ornate chair she’d ever had the pleasure of sitting in. If she had to be alone, reigning over a tilt yard as the Lady of honor wasn’t the worst way to spend her time.

Dangerous as the sport was was, Ben had more than earned a reputation as one of the best jousters in the country, if not all of Europe. Rey reminded herself that, if anything, she should be more worried about those facing him. 

The other spectators buzzed with excitement as all began to notice the king had disappeared from his seat. As expected, a little while later the knight’s marshal made the announcement all had hoped to hear. 

“His majesty King Kylo enters the list!” 

If the marshal had said anything after that, Rey hadn’t heard it as all present jumped to their feet and began cheering wildly. 

Ben entering the yard riding Whisper in full armor was a sight to behold. 

The armor he and Whisper wore was nearly as dark as the jet black locks both had. The dark tones of their armor made the heraldry of Ben’s lance and shield stand out all the more. His lance was a deep mahogany with gold foliage painted up the sides. His shield bore the sigil of his house- the Tudor Rose, one white Rose planted inside of a larger red rose. The two roses signified the union of his parent’s marriage- The romance that had healed the nation after decades of civil wars.

The Wars of the Roses felt like a distant memory as the joy of the crowd overwhelmed the space. All those present were on their feet cheering with everything they had as Whisper carried Ben around the yard. Finally Ben made it to the Berfrois and brought Whisper to stop right infront of Rey.

“My Lady, may I have the honor of wearing your favors for this match?” He asked, making a show of his devotion for the woman he loved as knights were expected to do. 

“You may.” Rey said, rising to her feet and pulling out the ribbons she’d made sure to bring. 

Ben lowered his lance for Rey to tie the ribbons on. 

The romance of honoring a knight with her favors was something Rey had dreamed of doing since her teen years, but never thought she’d actually have the chance to do. Rey was surprised to feel her hands shaking a she tied the ribbons on. Perhaps it was the nervousness brought on by a suddenly silent yard where all eyes were on her. Whatever it was, her nerves seemed to be at an all time high as she did her best to finish tying the bow. 

Ben looked at her puzzled for a moment, sensing her nervousness. He figured she was just anxious about seeing him joust for the first time. He winked at her to let her know all would be well. With that, he was off to face his first match.

 _If you’re going to be a queen you’ll have to get more used to people watching you. ___Rey thought to herself, taking a deep breath as she sat back down.

Her nerves weren’t helped when she spotted Snoke toward the end of the Berfrois, speaking with her father and brother. 

_Why the devil are you here? ___She wondered. Surely the Cardinal had something better to do than spoil an occasion she’d looked forward to…

Usually Snoke wasn’t one for celebrations. He preferred the solitude of his office chambers or brooding over council meetings. The most Rey saw him was during brief appearances when he did his best to make sure his control over English court remained as solid as he’d built it up to be during Ben’s father’s reign. Though Ben seemed to trust the cardinal in all things, Rey couldn’t help but feel uneasy whenever he was around. The specifics of his power and influence were something she planned to gain a better understanding of as soon as she officially became Queen…

Rey did her best to focus on the match in front of her, ignoring a presence she very much wish she hadn’t noticed. It didn’t take long to get swept away by the excitement of the tournament again. If the spectacle of the joust had been thrilling before, the sight of the man she loved in his element was even more breathtaking.

Ben towered above the competition on the back of Whisper, a horse who’s height and size was equally impressive to match his rider. The two made an intimidating team just to observers in the stands. Rey couldn’t begin to imagine what it would be like for the other knights in the ring waiting to face off against him. Each time a new knight lined up, she felt a bit sorry for each poor soul tasked with opposing him. 

As one knight with blue heraldry featuring a boar lined up to face him, she could read a clear sense of dread coming from him. A man who’d been holding his own well in the field before was suddenly unnerved by who he now had to face off against.

“Good luck- looks like you’ll need it.” She said under her breath. 

The knight’s marshal signaled for the pass to begin. Both horses sprinted forward, charging their riders at each other. Ben flew at the knight full tilt, easily knocking his opponent off his horse. Rey instantly jumped to her feet cheering along with the crowd. 

As sympathetic as she felt for the poor souls opposing Ben, she couldn’t help but cheer louder and louder each time he bested an opponent. Thankfully as the matches went on, her nerves began to fade. 

Over and over, Ben wiped the yard with the opposition. It was clear whatever had been getting to her earlier wasn’t anything to worry about after all. She’d heard tales of what a talented rider he was, but seeing the way Ben and Whisper worked together as a unit to dominate the competition made a sense of pride swell inside her like few things ever had.

 _Well done, sweetheart. ___She thought to herself as he took off his helmet and waived triumphantly at the crowd, having bested another opponent. The dark curls hanging in his face dripped with fresh sweat, somehow making even more handsome than he’d been before.

Rey smiled to herself as she clapped, taking note of how other women seemed especially enthusiastic when cheering for their king. She wondered if Ben had any idea how much women were swooning over him. She’d always had the sense that he had no idea just how remarkable he was…. and yet he had to know. It was so obvious, on some level he had to know... 

Settling back into her chair, Rey heard a group of young servant women behind her suddenly burst out laughing. 

“What may I ask is so funny ladies?” She turned to ask, wondering what had come over them. 

They all stood up straight to attention, having been noticed. 

“It’s nothing your- My lady.” One replied nervously. They were still getting used to addressing a fiancé who wasn’t queen yet. 

“It certainly didn’t sound like nothing.” Rey said, her eyes narrowing on them. It had been a while since she’d heard some good court gossip, and figured she was due for some. Sensing it had something to do with the inspiring display Ben had just put on, she couldn't help but be intrigued... 

_A nickname ___… She thought to herself, reading their thoughts.

She’d just begun to learn how to read other’s thoughts and didn’t mind the practice. It was clear to her one of them had shared a nickname that had caused the outburst of laughter… 

“I believe I heard one of you say something about a nickname for his majesty?” Rey lied, rising to her feet as she turned to face them. 

The four women stood frozen in place as they stared back at her- horrified to have been overheard by the king’s fiancé. 

“M-My apologies my lady.” One said, almost shaking. “I promise we meant _nothing ___by it.”

Rey suddenly felt guilty for the fear she appeared to have instilled in them by her confrontation. 

“Come now, there’s no need to worry yourselves like that.” She said trying to calm them. “I didn’t mean to scare you. You’re not in trouble- that is, as long as you share it with me. I’m _dying ___to hear what it was.”

As Rey approached, one of the women sensed there was something different about her than most of the ladies she’d served before. She figured she’d better get it over with and admit what had been shared. 

“It was me, my lady.” She said owning up to it. “I shared a nickname my sister said they use to refer to him in the kitchens. She’s a cook.”

“And what nickname was that?” Rey asked. 

“The cooks, they refer to him… as an Oak tree my lady… on account of him being so tall.” She did her best not to smirk as she said it. She should have been more nervous about admitting such a thing to a high born woman. Especially the fiancé of the man they were referring to... 

Still, something about Rey put her at ease. There was something different about her from most of the high born women she’d served under... something familiar...

“A tree?” Rey said confused. “Well that’s not very funny… Something tells me there’s more too it than that.”

The women looked at each other nervously. The one who’d spoken up realized there was no getting around it. She’d better be honest or all of her friends might get in trouble right along with her. 

She looked at the ground as she said it, bracing herself for whatever Rey’s reaction might be. 

“They call him… a fuckable oak tree, my lady.” She wanted to die as soon as the words left her mouth. 

Moments later her dread was interrupted as she heard Lady Boleyn burst out laughing. She had to look up to confirm she’d really heard it… she couldn’t believe the fiancé of the king himself was laughing at the crude name she’d just shared. 

“A _fuckable oak tree?! ___” Rey laughed, barely able to catch her breath. “Well that’s… that’s hilarious!”

The women looked at each other in total shock. They weren’t sure what they’d expected, but it hadn’t been that. 

Rey nodded toward the one who’d spoken up as she came down from her laughter. “What’s your name?”

“Ashla, my lady.” She replied. 

“Well, Ashla, you get the day off tomorrow, for being honest with me. I'll make sure your sister gets the day off too for coming up with such an extraordinary name…” She looked back towards the yard where Ben had disappeared with Whisper moments before when he’d left the ring. She couldn’t wait to share that nickname with him… She'd never reveal the source, but something that humorous was too good to keep to herself. As humble as Ben was, she couldn’t wait to see his reaction to such a revelation. 

If the four women in front of her had been confused before, they now stared back at her dumbfounded. Slowly they began to smile at each other as they realized this new queen would be very different from any of the nobles they’d served before. 

“Thank you, my lady…” Ashla said, still a bit shocked. “I’m very grateful for that, but- with respect, I don’t think we can be spared a day off with all the festivities coming up. Especially my sister. They’ll need all hands available in the kitchens with all the feasts planned this week.”

“Darn, there is that…” Rey said, crossing her arms as she thought of the logistics. “First thing next week then. I’ll speak to the kitchen master and the head ladies maid and make sure you receive your days off. I want everyone in the castle to know honesty will always be rewarded so long as I’m around. Especially honesty that brings with it a good laugh.” She said with a smile. 

“Of course, my lady…” Ashla smiled back.

As Rey took her seat back on her throne to watch the rest of the tournament, she could hear the women behind her buzzing with wonder over what had just taken place. 

She smiled to herself hoping she’d made a good first impression. The social stratifications of Tudor England were still something she was getting used to as an every day part of life. Having ascended to such a high place so quickly made it even harder to get used to. As she grew accustomed to her new life at court, she wanted to make sure all those around her could be as comfortable with her as they could any friend or colleague.

Rey’s amusement over what she’d just heard was short lived as she saw Ben taking his place for another go. For some reason her nerves from earlier had begun to creep back up on her. 

_Will you get it together… ___she said to herself as she did her best to quiet her nervousness. He’d bested all of his opponents easily so far, and showed no signs of being anywhere near done.

Out of the corner of her eye Rey noticed Snoke seemed particularly interested in this match. 

For the first time in her life, Rey regretted never having bothered to study hexes. She would have liked to use one on Snoke as he studied Ben. The way he looked at him as if he were some prized show dog he’d raised and trained himself- the sight of it made Rey’s blood boil. 

As the knight’s marshal signaled for the next pass to begin, Rey’s attention was pulled back to Ben- specifically the visor on his helmet. She could sense something was loose or had gone wrong with it- making it impossible for him to see his opponent as he charged towards him. 

“ _Gods, no- ___” Rey gasped to herself as the scene appeared to play out in slow motion. Ben tried shaking his head instinctively to right whatever was wrong- but it was too late. His distraction had caused him to let his guard down, making him vulnerable to his opponent who hit him squarely in the chest. As he flew back his opponent’s lance knocked the suddenly loose helmet off as well. On his way down, he first landed hard on beam of the barrier in the middle of the yard. Landing first on the unforgiving barrier only added to the pain that was already shooting through his chest.

Ben’s world went black for a moment as he landed on the ground. The next thing he knew he was staring up at blue sky. Dust swirled in front of him as a stabbing pain ripped through him, causing him to scream out in agony. 

Rey felt a stab of pain in her own head and chest, immediately sensing what had happened.

“ _BEN!!! ___” She screamed as she sprinted down the Berfrois and out into the yard.

Having been closest to the yard entrance, her father and brother had made it to the king first and now stood on either side of him. When Rey made it into the yard a few seconds later, Ben was already surrounded by a crowd of nobles who’d rushed to his side.

Rey pushed the men in front of her out of her way as she fought to get to Ben.

Once she got to him she feel to her knees, mouth open in horror. The intense pain in his eyes, the blood running down the side of his face- and worst of all the terrible moans and shouts of agony coming from him were all too much for her heart to handle.

“Oh my love…” she cried as tears spilled down her face.

Rey gently put a hand up to his bleeding head and laid the other on his chest- wishing there was something she could to do to make the pain go away. 

Unkar went to pull Rey back, worried she might hurt him further. 

“Darling, a physician will be here soon-“ He started to say.

“STOP!” Rey commanded him, pushing her father back with a strength she didn’t know she had. She didn’t even notice the shocked look on his face as she turned back to Ben. As if by instinct, the other men present took a few steps back, not wanting to incur Rey’s wrath. Hux and Unkar were the only ones standing over them as they witnessed what happened next.

Rey laid her hands on Ben’s head and chest again as she had before. Without realizing what was happening, she began to feel the Earth’s energy flow up through her. She could sense the pain leaving his body as whatever it was she was doing began to heal the wounds he’d just received.

Moments later his eyes looked up at her, totally free of the suffering they’d been filled with before. 

The wound on the side of his head disappeared… 

The stabbing pain in his chest was gone as well…

The pain that had filed his eyes moments before was suddenly replaced by fear- A deep, soul gripping fear as he began to understand what she’d just done. 

Ben quickly wiped the blood off his face with the sleeve of his gambeson. Luckily the black fabric hid any signs of it. As soon as he was sure he’d done all he could to hide the evidence of what had happened, he jumped to his feet.

“I’m fine! Just a bit shaken-“ He said cheerfully to the crowd, who now stared back at him in disbelief. “The sight of my lady’s love for me has me feeling like a new man.” With that he took Rey’s face in his hands and kissed her as passionately as he could. He’d inherited the ability to charm a crowd from his father, and the kiss Rey was now shocked to be receiving had done just that.

The crowd erupted into cheers at the reassurance that their King was all right. Any confusion over what had just happened melted away as the sight of the two lovers embracing warmed their hearts. 

Moments later Ben pulled away to address the crowd again. 

“I supposed I’d better return to my tent and allow my sweetheart to look after me...” He said with a smirk as the applause continued.

“Wise choice.” Rey uttered.

Ben grabbed Rey’s hand tightly as he pulled her with him back to their tent, pushing through the crowd of nobles that had gathered. A handful of squires and and servants scurried to get Whisper back to the stables while another squire dutifully followed the couple to their tent. 

As they arrived at the entrance of the tent, Ben spun around to stop his squire. “ _Just the two of us ___for now- I’ll summon you if I need you.” Ben ordered.

“Yes, your majesty, of course.” The squire said, bowing back. Before he’d finished what he’d said Ben had already disappeared with Rey inside their tent. 

“ _That ___was unwise.” Ben said firmly once they were finally alone.

“I _swear ___to you, Ben, I didn’t even know what I was doing until I’d done it!” Rey’s mind reeled with the shock of what had just happened. Part of her wanted to cry for joy over the miracle she’d just witnessed. Part of her was terrified what would happen if someone had seen what she’d done. Most of all part of her felt like breaking down from the trauma of everything she’d just been through.

After trying to think of what to say for a few moments, she knew there was only one thing that really needed to be said. “Even if I had known… would you really have expected me to just sit there and watch you suffer? Could you have done the same if our places had been reversed?”

Ben paused as her words sank in. He knew the truth of it as well as she did. 

“I suppose I see your point.” He sighed. “I certainly couldn’t have watched you…” He paused again as the fear that had gripped him before began to creep back in. “Still... that was so dangerous... _Thank God ___it was only your brother and father standing over me when you did it. You’ll only have to explain to them what they saw.”

Rey would have dreaded that conversation had she even been able to contemplate it. For the moment her thoughts were still solely on Ben.

“Let me take a closer look at you.” She said, brushing his hair back to check the part of his head where he’d been hit. It was still miraculously untouched, as if nothing had happened. “Let’s get you undressed then, see if there’s any bruising or anything…”

After they’d removed his armor, gambeson, and tunic, sure enough his skin was as untouched as it had been that morning. He had a few old scars from previous injuries, but nothing new. Rey gently applied pressure where she’d sensed searing pain coming from before she healed him. 

“That doesn’t hurt at all?” She asked, already knowing the answer before she said it. 

“Nope.” He said, still having a hard time believing it. As the reality set in, he thought of another question he’d been meaning to ask. “You said you didn’t know what you were doing… that wasn’t something you've ever done before?”

“No….” Rey shook her head as she sat down next to him. “I’ve never seen the healing arts used in person before… I certainly didn’t know I had them.”

“It appears you definitely have them.” He said, twisting around as he marveled at the total lack of pain he was now feeling. Lying in the dirt just minutes before he was certain he’d broken a rib if not a couple. It was an injury all jousters were familiar with- and an excruciatingly painful one. 

Now, as he moved his arms and shoulders through their full range of motion, he felt nothing at all. After a minute of confirming for himself that he was totally fine, he let his hands rest in his lap as he stared at the floor. A new reality began to dawn on both of them.

“So does this mean we’re going to start discovering new powers by surprise- without ever having learned them?” He asked.

Rey sighed as she realized how much more careful they’d have to be from now on. “It would appear that way...”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do love when the Force- I mean magic- throws curves into a story. Guess these two better watch out and not get carried away with their rapidly growing set of powers....
> 
> I'm sure and Jon Oliver fans out there picked up on that fantastic nickname I borrowed. While he calls Adam Driver a fuckable redwood, I couldn't use redwood since there aren't any of those in England, so Oak Tree had to do for King Ben. Sounds like Rey is going to have a lot of fun with her sassy maids as they get to know each other better...  
> 
> 
> Exciting news- I'm now on twitter! Come follow me to see sneak peaks of upcoming manips, to get hints about future chapters, hear tons of my personal #bensololives theories, and of course all the beautiful Reylo content my dyad loving heart can find to share!
> 
> https://twitter.com/thirstorder3987
> 
> On a personal note- Apologies for the delay on this chapter! All that went on in the world this past week had my heart hurting and made it a lot more challenging than usual to write. I figured I needed to take a break for a moment until I felt back up to it. 
> 
> While taking a break I thought a lot about my readers and what an inspiration you guys are to the process. I just wanted to say each and every one of you following WIP's- You guys are the real MVP's of the fanfic world! WIP readers are what keep these stories going and what gives us the drive to create such beautiful adventures for our characters. I'm so thankful for each and every one of you for reading and especially love when you let me know what you think! A big thank you for taking the time to read my work and share your thoughts on it! You guys are rockstars!


	15. Preparations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben and Rey prepare themselves and their court for the big wedding ahead- as well as assembling a team of people they can trust. 
> 
>   
> 

Rey and Ben collapsed into bed together exhausted after a long week. They’d looked forward to their week of celebrations for so long, and yet all of a sudden it felt as though it had flown by right before their eyes. Quick passage of time was something Rey was getting used to after what had felt like an eternity of waiting to be together.

As they laid in silence another question began bugging Rey that she’d been afraid to ask. As fast as things were moving forward with their wedding preparations, she knew she’d need to ask it sooner than later to prepare herself for whatever answer she received. 

“Sweetheart…” She said cuddling up to Ben and running her fingers through his hair. She loved doing that to help him relax at the end of a long day. 

“Hmmm?” He replied, quickly relaxing from her touch. 

“There’s something I’ve been meaning to ask.”

“You know you can ask me anything...”

“The night of our wedding… Since this is your second marriage, will it be a traditional consummation ceremony- with people there?”

“That...” Ben sighed as he settled back into his pillow. “The consummation will need to be witnessed by clergy and state officials- just those that need to be there to bear witness to the fact that all went to plan.”

Rey felt a sense of dread come over her as her anxieties were confirmed. Ben could sense right away that the thought made her uncomfortable. As naturally as it felt to have her by his side, he often forgot she hadn’t been raised with the expectations that royalty like himself were used to. He tried to think of how best to put her mind at ease.

“The curtains around the bed will be shut, they won’t actually see anything. They’re just…. Present in the room, hearing what’s going on. If you think about it, it won’t be any different than our guards outside the door hearing us every night.” He couldn’t help but smirk with that last statement. 

Rey had always done her best to pretend the guards outside their doors didn’t exist, or that somehow they went deaf between the time they fell into bed and when they rose in the morning… 

“Having people physically in the room is a _bit ___different.” She said anxiously.

Ben turned to look at her realizing how much it was bothering her. “I’ll be right there with you the whole time. Luckily one of us has been through it already and knows what to expect.”

Rey still didn’t seem convinced. 

“Besides… by now you should know I’m more than capable of making you forget anyone else on Earth exists.”

“Very funny…” She couldn’t help but smile at that. “I think you’ll find it will be a bit harder to make me forget the rest of the world exists if there’s actually people in the room.”

“Is that a challenge?” Ben asked, smiling mischievously as he stared up at their beds canopy.

“Would you like it to be?”

He turned to look at her again for a moment, an even bigger smile coming across his face. 

“I suppose fate did know what it was doing when it brought you to me.” He said, kissing her on her forehead. 

Rey snuggled into his chest and did her best to put it out of her mind. Like everything else they’d face, it was just one of many challenges they’d get through together. 

*****

Rey loved the way Mary’s tiny hand gripped hers as she led her into court. When Ben was busy with council meetings and affairs of state behind the scenes, Rey had started getting used to assuming certain duties at court. This particular morning she’d made sure to bring Mary along with her to help listen to auditions for new court musicians. 

Mary sat in Rey’s lap as they listened to the performances. The little princess absolutely loved music, and Rey couldn’t get enough of the way her eyes sparkled whenever a new tune would begin. She seemed to love every performance they’d listened to so far, but was also very clear about which had been her favorites. 

“What did you think of that one?” Rey asked, applauding as another audition came to an end. 

“I enjoyed his song very much… but not as much as the one before.” Mary said. 

“Well then…” Rey giggled. “It is a good thing that you know what you like.”

“Momma and Poppa taught me all about music.” Mary said confidently. “Momma’s favorite was the violin.”

It warmed Rey’s heart how comfortable little Mary had grown with her, enough to talk about her fond memories of her mother. She made sure to take mental notes of every detail Mary shared. She knew how precious a daughter’s memories of a beloved late mother were, and how much trust it took to share them. 

“It looks like we’re in luck!” Rey said spotting the next musician who’d come forward. “This gentleman has brought a violin to play for us. And what is your name, sir?”

“Poe Smeaton.” The musician replied. “Placer concocerte, princesa.” He said looking at Mary.

Mary’s eyes lit up at hearing her mother’s native tongue. “Placer conocerte señor Smeaton.” She replied. 

As if the name Smeaton hasn’t been enough of a hint, Rey could already tell this was someone they’d need to keep close by at court. As Poe began to play, a magnificent melody rang forth, capturing the attention of everyone in the room. Courtiers who’d been conversing before suddenly quieted as they craned to hear more of the lovely song he’d filled the space with. 

Rey’s heart filled with joy as the song went on. His musical talent impressed every bit as much as his first impression with Mary had. It was everything Rey had hoped for.

As the song reached an emotional high, Rey spotted a familiar face make its way into the room. Hux had been keeping in the shadows as was his usual way of doing things, but Poe’s music had brought him out into the main area of court. 

_You appear to have impressed more than a few people this morning… ___Rey thought to herself as she applauded at the end of his performance. Mary jumped off her lap to stand and Rey quickly rose to her feet as well.

“Well done sir!” Rey affirmed him as she applauded. “I can’t remember the last time I heard such incredible talent!”

“Thank you my lady.” Poe said bowing. “It is a pleasure to be able to play for you today.”

“Poe Smeaton… that’s an English name but your accent is Spanish?”

“Yes my lady. My father was English and my mother was Spanish. I’ve spent most of my life in Spain until recently.”

“And what brings you to our shores?” Rey asked curiously. 

With Mary present, Poe wasn’t about to mention how Spanish court had become less welcoming to those with English names in the wake of her mother’s death. Whenever any monarch passed away at a young age, rumors flew through out the courts of Europe about the supposed “real” cause of death. Though Poe had enjoyed a career playing for Katherine’s sister and brother in law, such rumors made anyone with an English surname less welcome at the court he’d once called home. 

“I um… I figured it was time to come and see if my father’s homeland had anything to offer me.” Poe smiled. 

Rey sensed it would be best to leave it at that. Looking down at Mary, she quickly realized just how serendipitous their meeting was.

“Mary, how would you like Poe to help with your music lessons? He can teach you in Spanish and perhaps I can work on my Spanish with both of you as well?”

“I would like that very much!” Mary smiled.

“Mr. Smeaton, consider yourself a musician of the court of England- as well as the new musical tutor of the princess herself.” Rey said proudly.

“Thank you, My Lady.” Poe said graciously. “I do look forward to sharing my music with your family.”

*****

That evening Rey sat next to Ben at the head of a feast where the new musicians she and Mary had picked were set to perform. As Poe had been the highlight of the day’s auditions, she’d made sure to save his performance until the end. 

“What an extraordinary way with music...” Ben said as they both enthusiastically applauded the latest of several songs he’d chosen to play. “Well done sweetheart. I should leave you to run my court more often.”

“I’m always happy to help.” Rey smiled as Ben kissed her lovingly on the cheek. She was thrilled to have handled this first responsibility so well, thanks in no small part to the lineup of talented musicians who’d come to play for them.

“Any requests from the two lovebirds?” Poe turned to ask the two of them, noticing their canoodling. 

“How about a galliard?” Rey replied, setting down her wine glass. “I’m in the mood for a bit of dancing… as long as his majesty will join me of course.” 

“I would never deny my lady that pleasure.” Ben replied, taking her hand and leading her out onto the floor. 

As Poe began to play, their eyes met while they circled each other. Their shared love of music and dancing was something they’d both made the most of since they’d been able to be seen together at court. Naturally their courtiers loved watching them almost as much as they enjoyed dancing together. One didn’t have to have magic to sense something special ignited between the two of them whenever they took the floor.

Ben bowed and Rey curtseyed as the dance began. A few other couples trickled out to join them. As electrifying as their dances were, many couldn’t resist becoming a part of that energy as well.

Ben held his hand out and Rey took it- the sense of his touch igniting the power of their bond between them. It was something Rey was used to by now, yet still no less thrilling. It only made her excitement build for the dance they’d just begun...

Ben raised their hands above them as they spun around each other, eyes locked into each other as they felt their very souls flowing with the music that pushed them forward.

He took her other hand as they changed direction and spun the other way, never once breaking their gaze. For a moment both pulled back, only to draw each other in closer than they’d been before. 

Together they entered a series of spins that had them so close that all they could see was glow of each others eyes as they remained locked in each other’s arms… their bond sparked and simmered around them as the festive beat of the music urged them forward.

Switching up the rhythm they had going, Rey stepped back, then turned off to the side as she raised their arms higher, stepping under them as she spun away.

 _Where do you think you’re going… ___Ben teased through their bond.

His hand tightened around hers as their arms stretched to their limit. He pulled Rey back toward him, spinning her once just before he wrapped his arm around her waist. 

He couldn’t resist holding her closer as he continued to tease. _You know I can take whatever I want? ___He asked, his eyes burning into hers as their faces were just inches apart again.

 _Whatever you want… here… In front everyone?! ___Rey quipped, flashing him a challenging smile that let him know she wouldn’t be caught so easily.

 _What the king wants, the king gets. ___He insisted, pulling her hand high again and spinning her faster than before.

 _And I supposes you allow yourself to believe that nonsense? ___Rey taunted, loving the fire she could sense rising within him as she challenged him further.

She pulled her hands away and lifted the sides of her skirts as she began a sequence of flirtatious back and forth steps around him, coming closer while still threatening to pull away. 

_Not only do I believe it… ___Ben reached forward and took one of her hands, grasping it high as he led her through a series of spins around him. He brought his other hand around and grasped her waist, stopping her in front of him just before he finished that thought. _I require it. ___

Rey’s eyes glowed as his words excited her. _Bold words, indeed, your majesty… even for a man of your confidence. ___

 _Oh, quite the contrary…. ___He replied. Both held their hands up and pushed away from each other, turning as if to leave but stopping and returning again.

As he took her hand again and turned her, raising the other over her head wrapping his arms around her, he brought his face beside hers in a gesture of intimacy that made it feel as though he intended to kiss her.

“I think you’ll require the same if you’d care to discover my true intentions.” He whispered into her ear- instead of delivering the kiss she’d hoped for.

“And what would that be?” Rey whispered back before he spun her around to stand beside him. 

Ben firmly planted his right hand on her waist, holding their left hands high as they promenaded around the floor in a circle with the other courtiers. _My every desire, all that I require, is to serve you and to make you the happiest of women. ___He finally said.

Rey glowed as his words warmed her heart. _In that case… you already have what it is you require. ___She smiled up at him as the promenade came to an end.

 _I wouldn’t be so sure… No doubt there’s always more I could be doing. ___He replied, not missing a beat.

Rey turned to face him again. As she grasped both of his hands in hers, leading them around her waist, there was only one thing that needed to be said. _I would never be so bold as to hold you back from what your heart desired. ___

As the music came to it’s height, Ben lifted Rey up by her waist holding her up for a moment before bringing her back down gracefully. _One of the many reasons why you’re mine…. ___he said marveling at her.

“Lucky me.” She said, leaning in to let him know she wasn’t waiting for the kiss he’d promised any longer. 

“Lucky you.” He replied, pulling her to him and sweeping her up in a kiss that nearly made her weak. 

The court around them burst into applause as their dance came to an end. They remained locked in their kiss for as long as they could, soaking up the moment. Finally they pulled away, smiling at their shared happiness before both turning to applaud the performance of the new musician they’d just welcomed to court. 

Poe bowed graciously, quickly raising his violin again to start another lively tune. 

Ben and Rey of course didn’t waste a moment. They turned to begin another dance together- one of many they planned to enjoy together that evening. 

Later in the evening as the two took a break together, Rey made sure to find Poe so they could both tell them how much they enjoyed his playing. 

“Rey tells me we stole you away from the court of Spain?” Ben asked, eager to hear more about the new addition ot their court. 

“I suppose you could say that.” Poe laughed. “I didn’t want to mention this in front of the princess, but it turns out the Spanish monarchy would rather trust in rumors than the loyalty of those who’ve been serving them for years.”

“I am sorry to hear that.” Rey said, having already sensed that might be what it was about. 

“Don’t be.” Poe replied “It’s not your fault.”

Rey bit her lip as a bit of unwarranted guilt threatened to overtake her. Much as she tried not to, she couldn’t help but be reminded of the fact that had it been her predecessor standing in her shoes, that wouldn’t have been the case. 

“Well well well… what have we here…” Poe said with a hint of mischief as he spotted a face Rey knew well. Hux had just entered the hall and was making his way through the crowd, fashionably late to the festivities as usual. 

Rey paused as she looked at Poe for a moment, her mouth hung open in shock. She of course had no problem with it, but she couldn’t help but be stunned by the idea that a man of the 1500s would say something so obvious to someone he’d just met. 

“What?” Poe said spotting her confusion. “Don’t tell me you’ve never met a man that was into men?!”

Ben couldn’t help but laugh awkwardly as he realized Rey’s mistake. He sensed right away she’d been caught in another of her many misconceptions of the history she thought she knew- as opposed to the time she found herself in. 

“You’ll have to excuse her, she’s still somewhat new to court… and the ways of the world really.” He cleared his throat and lowered his voice as he knew what he would have to say next would be more than a little embarrassing to Rey. “She, um… she had quite a religious upbringing in the country… if you know what I mean.”

Rey turned to look at him slowly- torn between the relief of realizing the time she found herself in was far more open than she ever anticipated, and unnerved by the fact that Ben had just referred to her as extremely sheltered.

Poe of course burst out laughing. “Religious indeed!” He scoffed. “Let’s hope you’ve recovered from all that. A religious upbringing in the country… you poor woman!”

“I’ve recovered just fine, thanks.” Rey groaned as she noticed Hux was finally close enough to get his attention. For the first time since she could remember, she was actually glad to see her brother. 

“Hux, darling, come here so I can introduce you to the brightest new talent at court.” She said pulling him to join them. “This is Mr. Poe Smeaton. He’s just joined us from Spain and has been the highlight of the evenings performances.”

“A pleasure.” Hux said, shaking his hand firmly.

“Oh, the pleasure’s all mine.” Poe winked. 

Rey noticed Hux blush for a moment before she went on with what she’d been saying. “The thing is big brother… it appears you’ve missed the best of his performance. Perhaps that will teach you to show up on time from now on to evening festivities at court.”

“I’m sure we could arrange an encore performance- if that’s something he’d be interested in.” Poe noted, not one to miss an opportunity. 

If Hux had been blushing before, he was now bright red.

“Well…” Rey spoke up, realizing her and Ben’s presence was no longer needed. “I suppose we’ll leave you two to it then.” She grabbed Ben’s hand and turned to leave. 

The only thing more satisfying than witnessing her new friend hitting on her brother, was the stunned look on Hux’s face as she turned to excuse herself. The realization that the sister he’d bullied mercilessly for months had just set him up with a man he couldn’t take his eyes off of hit hard for a moment. 

“So then- what was that you were saying about an encore performance…” Hux muttered as he turned back to Poe, doing his best to recover. 

Poe flashed a devlish grin as he turned to grab two cups of wine from one of the servers passing by. “Why don’t we treat ourselves to a drink, and then we can discuss it further.”

Rey stole one last glance at the two of them before disappearing with Ben into the crowd. She pulled him aside into a corner where they could keep en eye on Poe and Hux’s conversation while not being too obvious. Unfortunately the joy of the moment was interrupted by a bright red presence Rey could have gone the whole night without seeing.

Suddenly Ben felt a feeble old hand had reach up and plant itself on his shoulder as Snoke joined them. Rey could instantly sense him stiffening from the Cardinal’s touch. 

“That was quite the performance, your majesty.” Snoke said, referring to the dances they’d shared earlier. “It’s fascinating how you two seem to become totally lost in each other in the midst of such…. enthusiastic displays.”

“Oh I’m so glad you enjoyed it.” Rey replied confidently, ignoring the rude insinuation he was making. 

Snoke grinned with an equal confidence that made Rey want to react in ways that wouldn’t have been appropriate for the fiancé of a king. 

“Enjoyed it indeed…” Snoke chuckled, ignoring Rey entirely. He turned his shoulder to her, making it clear it was addressing only Ben. “I supposed it’s as much as I should expect… your father did love to do the same after a hefty dose of wine- dragging your poor mother out onto the floor- oh what a saint she was for going along with it-”

“It’s funny you say that... ” Ben cut him off, sliding out from under his grasp and turning to stand right next to Rey. “That’s not at all how I remember it.” He stared back at him blankly as Rey bit her lip, doing her best not to smile too much. She hadn’t seen Ben stand up to his mentor in this way before and welcomed every moment of it.

Snoke stared between the two of them, confused by what had just happened. Rey could sense an anger rising in him as he did his best to recover. 

“My apologies your majesty…” He began, a bit of false humility suddenly gracing his tone. “I suppose I shouldn’t have expected you to remember such things… you were so young when you lost them both… it only makes sense the memories of a _child ___would only include the happiest of times.” His feigned remorse somehow made Rey even sicker than his underserved confidence before. “Now if you’ll both excuse me, there are _many ___important matters which I must see to. Some of us don’t have the luxery of enjoying an entire evening of festivities. I do hope you both enjoy yourseles.” With that he turned to leave without waiting for a response.

“We’ll make sure to!” Rey called after him as he left. Ben couldn’t help but smile at her quick response. _I do hate that man… ___she couldn’t help but think.

_Come now sweetheart, he means well, he’s just…. old. I suppose we can allow a few ornery remarks with all the matters he constantly toils over for our sake. ___

“Our sake indeed….” Rey said out loud without meaning to. 

Ben side eyed her for a moment, swallowing hard with what he thought to say next. 

“I believe I promised earlier that I was going to do all I could to make you happy...” He said, doing his best to change the subject. 

“With him around you’ll have your work cut our for you.” Rey sighed. 

Ben couldn’t help but laugh. “Is that a challenge?”

“Would you like it to be?” Rey replied, remembering their earlier conversation.

Ben beamed as he took her hand, leading her out onto the floor for another dance. It appeared this was just one of many times where he’d have to make her forget anyone else in the world existed. “You know I love a good challenge.”

*****

By the end of the next week Rey had picked her official ladies in waiting. Thanks to her growing powers, she was more and more able to sense who at court shared her gifts. She’d picked three women her age who she was certain shared her gifts. Upon inviting them to be her ladies, she asked if they had sisters or cousins who could join them to help finish her household. It wasn’t a request any of them had expected, but naturally it was one they happily agreed to. Each picked one family member to join them, who arrived at court a few days later.

When the additional three ladies arrived, Rey was thrilled to sense they too shared the same gifts. She had a hunch it would work out that way by allowing them to have their pick. Those with the gift tended to keep close to those who had it as well, even those who did all they could to hide it. 

The six women were all as thrilled with their new positions as they were surprised at having received them. They’d thought Rey would have picked friends she’d known longer than those she’d made since first coming to court, but they were happy for the honor all the same. 

Of course, all of them would soon learn the reasoning for being picked. Ben and Rey planned to assemble a household that would serve their true motives as rulers- making their country a place that was safe for people like themselves to reveal the truth of who they were. 

Rey still had one spot available in her group of ladies that needed to be filled- her head of household. That was a spot she intended to wait to see if she could find just the perfect candidate for the job. It would need to be someone she could trust completely- with her very life if it ever came to it.

Eventually Ben and Rey figured out a list of magical people at court- in addition to Rey’s ladies, there were 6 courtiers- including one advisor from the kings council, 10 servants, and eight guards whom they’d sensed all had magic like themselves. Once they were as sure of the list as they could be, they invited all of them together to meet with them on the grounds for a picnic one afternoon. 

The group of courtiers were a little confused as to why they’d all been invited to share lunch with the King and his fiancé that afternoon. It appeared to be a random assortment of people. No particular families were favored, even some of the kings closest friends had been excluded from the invitation. 

The servants who’d been invited were equally confused about their choosing. Among them was the girl Rey had spoken to at the joust, as well as her sister. A maid from the kitchens being asked to wait on the King and future queen themselves came as much of a surprise as anything, but all of them took it in stride as they hoped there was a good reason for it. 

The guards that patrolled the perimeter of the meeting kept stealing suspicious glances at each other, wondering who of them knew the real reason they’d been called to be there. Their choosing also appeared to be random, and more of them were present that were usually called upon to watch over a meeting of courtiers. From their lives of military training they knew nothing the king ever did was random. Everything he chose to do had a purpose. What the purpose of this afternoon’s gathering was however, none of them could seem to figure out. 

Together the courtiers relaxed and enjoyed their lunch as the servants waited on them, filling their wine, replenishing any food that was needed. All the while each distinct group kept wondering about the reason for this odd assembly. There were more than the usual number of guards present keeping an eye on things, which didn’t go unnoticed as well- both by those they were watching over and the guards themselves. 

_Do you think we’ve made them wonder why they’re here long enough? ___Rey asked Ben through their bond, feeling a bit guilty for having kept them waiting so long.

 _I suppose so… ___Ben replied, a little hesitant to get on with it. Rey could sense he was nervous, and knew he had every right to be. What they were about to do was a big step in what they planned to do as rulers. Once their secret went beyond just the two of them, there was no turning back.

 _You can do this sweetheart. I’m right here with you. We’re in this together, remember? ___Rey assured him.

 _Together. ___He replied looking back at her. It was just the boost he needed to do what needed to be done.

“I suppose you’re all wondering why I’ve called you together.” Ben spoke up over the group. All the courtiers present went silent immediately as they wondered what he was about to say. 

“If the servants could come in closer to sit with us, I’ll get to explaining why I’ve gathered you here. The guards as well. I’ll need everyone here listening to what I have to say to make sure there’s no misunderstanding of what your king and future queen require of you.”

The servants present inched towards the group nervously; hesitant to join for fear of the social code they knew that would be breaking. 

“We don’t bite.” Rey assured them “Come on then, sit with us. Your king commands it.” 

At her reassurance the servants joined, sitting on the edge of the picnic that had gathered. The guards backed in closer as well, still watching the horizon of the grounds for anyone that might be approaching while listening to what the king had to say. 

Ben took a deep breath as he prepared to say words he’d rehearsed for some time. 

“Each one of you that we’ve invited to join us today- every courtier and servant and guard- we’ve called you together today because we know the truth of who you are.”

All present looked at each other nervously at first. They didn’t know each other that well and weren’t sure who would be the first to speak. 

“You don’t have to pretend with us, nor do you have to pretend with each other any longer.” Rey said. “By now I would hope that would be clear.” 

A couple of courtiers smiled at each other- people who did know each other well enough to outwardly show they sensed what this as about. The smiles in the group appeared to help the others relax. 

“Being who you are, all of you are aware of the prophecies traveling throughout the countryside through the most hidden parts of the land.” Ben hoped that would make it clear enough. From the sense of ease and excitement that began to come over the group, both he and Rey knew their words had hit their mark.

“Rey and I are here to tell you today that those prophecies are true- and we want each of you to be a part of our group of closest friends and allies that help us bring those prophecies to fruition.”

A sense of stronger emotion began to rise in the group with that promise- one that was so strong one of the courtiers finally broke the silence. 

“Do you really mean it?!” One woman said out loud.

“We mean every word.” Rey smiled as she assured her. 

“Oh- gods be praised….” They heard one servant gasp under her breath. 

By now every servant and courtier present was hanging on to every word their king and future queen were saying. Though they hadn’t said much yet, their sovereign had just said words they’d all dreamed of hearing their entire lives. 

Ben figured it was time to get to the heart of the matter and explain what they’d need from them going forward. “Once the royal wedding has taken place and Rey is officially seated by my side as queen, there will be times when the two of us need to travel throughout England to survey the land better, to visit with others like ourselves and get to know our people. If any of you here know of anyone with your gifts who can aid us in this, we’ll need you to call upon them immediately to come join us at court. We will need to call upon as many of our own people as possible to travel with us when needed.”

“Of course your majesty…” Thomas Howard, the king’s sole advisor present, spoke up. “I have to ask though, how do the two of you plan to travel throughout the land meeting with…. folks like ourselves…” He still wasn’t yet comfortable saying the word out loud. “How do you plan to do that without anyone noticing where you’re going?”

“That’s the next matter we plan to address.” Rey spoke up. “We’ll be assembling two teams to travel. There will be one smaller team that will actually travel with us as we assume the identity of commoners so that we’re not noticed- and another one that will act as a decoy to throw people off the trail of what we’re actually up to. This decoy team will travel to all the places we’d be expected to travel, to visit our various estates and hunting lodges, that sort of thing.”

“So then you won’t actually be with that team…” Howard clarified. 

“No, we won’t.” Ben confirmed. “Which brings us to perhaps the most important mission we have for you going forward. If any of you know of people like yourselves-“

“Pagans.” Rey finally spoke up, tired of seeing everyone dancing around the word.

“Yes, Pagans.” Ben smiled. “If any of you know of Pagans who look similar enough to Rey and I, who could pass for us to anyone who’d just heard us described or seen portraits of us, we’ll need stand ins to assume our identity and act as decoys while we travel elsewhere. If any of you know of individuals who could assume these roles, we’ll need to bring them to court and bring them on as my and Rey’s head of household as soon as possible.”

The courtiers present looked at each other in shock at that revelation. 

“Forgive me if I misunderstood you your majesty but- you intend to appoint a relative unknown as your lord chamberlain and your wife’s lady of honor- so long as they both have the gift and look like the two of you?” Lord Howard asked. 

“There will be more to their selection than that.” Ben clarified. “They will need to be able to handle the responsibilities that come with both of those roles- but yes. So long as they are capable of handling those responsibilities, so long as they’re one of us who can be trusted with our secret, and so long as they can pass for either of us when needed to stand in on royal travels elsewhere- their station wont matter.”

A few of the courtiers looked shocked by that revelation. In Tudor England, one’s station in society was everything when it came to who was allowed to be close to the King or Queen- and no one was closer to the sovereigns than their heads of household. The idea that two people would be selected based on abilities alone, and by necessity physical resemblance to the king and queen, was a revolutionary one. 

Rey noticed several of the servants smiling to themselves as they remained quiet. She’d had a feeling that idea would be a welcome one to those who hadn’t been born on the privileged side of society. 

“I believe that’s all we have to discuss with you today.” Rey spoke up. “Ben and I will be needing to return to the palace soon… we look forward to meeting any of the people you invite to court to be a part of our specially selected traveling companions-”

“Of course I don’t need to impress upon all of you the grave consequences that will befall anyone of you who betrays what we’ve shared here.” Ben suddenly said firmly. 

A sense of unease that had hung over the group before began to creep back in as all were reminded of the seriousness of what had been discussed. 

“You can trust us your majesty.” Ashla spoke up, the same girl who’d Rey spoken to at the joust a week or so earlier. “We want all the same things you do, just as much as you want it.” 

“Thank you Ashla.” Rey replied. “We hear that and appreciate that more than you know.”

“Yes, thank you.” Ben replied. 

It was all the reminder Ben needed to remember who he was speaking to. These were his people- the people he and Rey were fighting for- to be able to finally live without having to hide the truth of who they were. 

If there was anyone they could trust throughout the country they ruled over, it was the group they’d just assembled. He kept reminding himself of that truth as he and Rey headed back to the castle. It was a truth he’d hold dearly as they faced the next prospect they’d need to take on- throwing a royal wedding.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's a few bonus charecter manips I did of Poe and Hux. Can't wait to see what fun these two have together...
> 
> What other characters would you like to see manips of? I’m having a lot of fun with these... ☺️ Let me know in the comments if there’s a character or scene you’d like to see!


	16. To Have and to Hold

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All of London celebrates as the Royal wedding takes place. In the midst of the festivities, Ben looks forward to sharing a special surprise with Rey.

Rey stood in nothing but her stockings, garters, and bloomers, holding her arms up as her ladies maids began slipping the many layers of her wedding dress over her head. 

First there was the chemise slip that protected her skin from the rough structure of her supportive under layers. Next came the conical farthingale which attached at her hips, creating the sturdy foundation her skirt would need to maintain it’s shape. After that the kirtle was added which gave her upper body support, as well as provided under layers for her dress, giving the finished look a soft appearance. Finally the gown itself was added and carefully laced up in the back. 

Her bridal ensemble wasn’t complete just yet though. Next came the accessories required to finish the enchanting look of a bride about to marry a Tudor king of England. Decorative sleeves and arm cuffs, a doubled up cascade of large pearls which draped all the way down to her hips then came together in a medallion in the middle of her torso, and finally an intricately beaded hood which secured her two tiered veil around the top of her head. The back tier of the veil draped over her hair and down the length of her dress and cathedral train. The front tier was draped over her front, adding a touch of mystery to her already ethereal appearance.

As layers were added one after another, she felt her nerves about the day beginning to creep up. As much as she’d tried to avoid the thought, the morning of her wedding wasn’t at all like she’d once imagined it might be. 

Most of her life, she’d imagined if and when she ever had a wedding, it would have been a small celebration at her family’s ancestral home. Her mother and sister would have been helping her get ready, along with one or two of her closest friends. A small handfasting ceremony in the family’s garden would have highlighted the day, followed by music and dancing that went well into the night. 

That charming dream felt like a lifetime away as a bevy of servants bustled around her, attending to every detail to make sure the future Queen of England was as primed and prepped as she could be for the special day ahead. 

In spite of the hustle and bustle, she couldn’t help but feel oddly alone. Though her sister Mary and the faces of her ladies were those she knew well by now, they still weren’t the family or lifelong friends she’d once imagined spending this sort of morning with. Even though the dream of having her mother with her on this day had been cruelly taken from her with her mother’s life, the fact that she wasn’t here was made all the more painful by the fact that no one present had ever known her. Had she been in her own time, she’d have had her real sister to share her thoughts and memories with. In this time though, her thoughts were all her own. 

“You’ll need this.” Her lady Alice said, handing her a rosary with a wink to say “We all have to play the part.”

“Thank you, Alice.” Rey said with a smile, holding it as she knelt in front of the tiny alter in her chamber. The imminent prospect of taking part in a Christian wedding ceremony certainly didn’t help soothe her nerves... 

As she knelt to pretend to pray the rosary, the words inside of her mind weren’t the Catholic prayer one normally would have said when holding a rosary. 

_Mom… if you can hear me… wherever you are… be with me today. ___

_I know this is what I’m meant to be doing but… ___

_I’ve never been so terrified of anything in my life. ___

Sending those words out into the universe, she felt herself choking up as her anxiety nearly overwhelmed her. 

Just then she felt a calming spiritual presence enter the room. It wasn’t one she was familiar with, but one that felt reassuring all the same. There was something maternal about it, in a way that she knew whoever it was had arrived to look after her. Something about it oddly reminded her of Ben as well... 

The sense of peace the presence gave her was just enough to remember words her own mother had said to her often growing up.

_If your head is afraid of something that your heart knows is right, that’s a good sign it's something worth doing. ___

The memory of her mother’s words brought a much needed smile to her face as she finished saying the rest of her prayer.

*****

As Rey rode in an open carriage alone, the sounds of the horses hooves on the cobblestones were drowned out by the cheering crowds of people that lined the streets in all directions. All of London appeared to have turned out to see the young bride they’d heard so much about. Songs of her and Ben's love for each other were being sung from the Tower to Westminster. In Rey’s time those areas were thought of as central London, but in this time they marked the end points of a thriving capital city. 

Her carriage came to a stop in front of Westminster Abbey. Above her stood two shining pillars of medieval architecture, towers that seemed even taller than she was used to with the much shorter skyline that now surrounded them. The sight of it had her frozen in place- something she hadn’t expected considering she’d been in front of this very cathedral more times than she could remember in her own time. 

This was the first time she’d seen it’s exterior in this time however. It’s stone was so _clean ___… it all but sparkled in the midday sun. The grime and patina of the extra 500 years of age she was used to seeing on it was gone. Where she was used to seeing a 1000 year old cathedral, now stood a building half that age.

Its stones had never weathered the soot of the industrial revolution, nor needed to be scrubbed down from modern automobile emissions. 

It had never offered protection to terrified worshipers during a world war, praying each day the bombs wouldn’t come for their neighborhood as night fell.

The only time the building in front of her had ever know was medieval England, and that time so far had been kind to its ornate exterior.

Seeing the cathedral this way felt a bit like meeting ones great grandparents in the prime of their life. Something she’d always thought of as unfathomably old was suddenly standing before her in its prime, with all the shine of something much younger than she’d ever imagined it. 

Moments after she arrived, a carriage with her sister, her ladies in waiting, and Princess Mary followed behind her. Her six ladies quickly exited the carriage, hurrying to help Rey out as she managed her extravagant wedding dress. Her sister stood with the princess, making sure she didn’t throw her flower petals until it was time to go inside the church.

As Rey exited the carriage, she could barely breathe. The energy of the crowds gathered behind her seemed to be all that pushed her forward, down the carriage steps, towards the doors that two guards held open, welcoming her and the rest of her wedding party inside. 

The sound of the cheering crowds died down as the doors of the cathedral firmly shut behind her. The cheers that had rung in her ears for the entirety of her ride through town were suddenly drowned out by the organ prelude that had been playing for some time as the procession took place. 

When her turn came, Princess Mary began her walk down the aisle, scattering flower petals and herbs from a silver cup adorned with ribbons as she went. 

At the back of the church Unkar had been waiting for Rey. She took his arm as they waited for their turn. For a moment he leaned over to whisper to her. “This is _your ___day, my daughter. You may not have a crown just yet, but you are the queen of the world today.” The pride in his eyes as he said it reminded her of the day their family had been ennobled.

Rey smiled back at him, unsure what to say. She always tried to enjoy it whenever he attempted to be a decent human being. 

Rey put all of that out of her mind as the melody of a hymn sung by the choir began to fill the space. The hymn accompanied by the organ signaled it was time for her walk down the aisle to begin. She barely felt her feet touching the stone floor as her father began leading her forward.

Her eyes quickly adjusted to the darker interior light as they walked together. Unkar seemed in a slight hurry to bring her through the first half of the nave- past the lesser courtiers who weren’t important enough to sit in the coveted seats behind the screen which split the long space in two. Rey could feel her combined nerves and excitement growing as she reached it, knowing what lay behind it. 

As they passed below the ornately carved wooden arch, Rey’s heart jumped in her chest. Lords, ladies, and dignitaries from all over Europe turned to stare in wonder at the beautiful bride walking past them. 

Rey didn’t notice a single one of them however. 

The only eyes she could see were the dark eyes of the man she loved- looking back at her from the other end of the church as if she was the only thing in the world that mattered to him. 

The sight of Ben waiting for her in front of the altar was everything she needed. Seeing him crowned and dressed in gold and white- an ensemble equal in elegance and style to her own yet masculine in a way that suited him perfectly- he was every bit as striking as the moment she’d first laid eyes on him. Any nervousness, any fear, any uncertainty the morning’s nerves had brought melted away as she realized this moment was right where she was meant to be. 

Whatever lay ahead for her in this life- all of it would be shared with Ben.

An aurora of colors from the stained glass windows towering above them fell across her gold and white gown every so often as she walked through the remaining half of the church. The sight of it nearly took Ben’s breath away. He couldn’t believe the almost other worldly beauty of the woman walking towards him, coming to stand by his side forever. 

The further Rey made it down the aisle, the more she could see just how much emotion Ben was overcome with. It was taking all he had to hold back tears. It made it even harder for her to hold back the tears she herself had been holding in. 

Adding to the beauty of the moment they found themselves in, their bond seemed to reverberate around them even stronger inside the soaring space. As Rey entered the most light filled part of the church, the magnificent stone arches that spanned above them seemed to echo the energy of their bond back to them, just as it did the transcendent sound of the choir singing their wedding hymn that had be written for the space. 

The power and beauty of the feelings they shared between them- all of it became stronger and more vibrant the closer they were to each other. 

As she began to ascend the steps that led up to the altar, Rey griped Unkar’s arm a little tighter for added support. She found herself needing to do so as the emotions and energy pulsing around her drove her forward.

Finally Rey came to where they needed to be. Unkar stood between them as he prepared to give his daughter away.

“Who gives this woman to be wed?” Archbishop Warham asked. 

“I do.” Unkar replied. He lifted her veil and draped it behind her, kissing her cheek before heading back to his seat nearby. 

Together Ben and Rey turned to stand before Archbishop Warham. The archbishop of Canterbury always led royal weddings and coronations. The celebration and blessing of their marriage was about to begin, just as it had for monarchs throughout the ages in the 500 years of royal history that had taken place in that space. 

“Dearly beloved… We have come together in the presence of God to witness and bless the joining together of His Majesty King Kylo Tudor, Eighth of his name, King of England, Ireland, and France, and Lady Rey Boleyn, Marquesse of Pembroke, in Holy Matrimony.” 

As the archbishop went through the initial welcome and declaration, the two of them could feel each other stealing glances here and there. They did their best to remain focused on the ceremony, but as it went on it became more and more difficult not to let their eyes wander. They’d both waited for this day for a long time, and now that it was finally here their happiness for each other was impossible to contain. 

After the initial declaration of marriage came the declaration of will. The archbishop first turned to Rey.

“Rey, will you have this man to be your husband;  
to live together in the covenant of marriage?  
Will you love him, comfort him, honor and keep him,  
in sickness and in health;  
and, forsaking all others,  
be faithful to him as long as you  
both shall live?”

“I will.” Rey answered.

“Ben, will you have this woman to be your wife;  
to live together in the covenant of marriage?  
Will you love her, comfort her, honor and keep her,  
in sickness and in health;  
and, forsaking all others,  
be faithful to her as long as you  
both shall live?”

“I will.” Ben answered.

Next came the ministry of the word, as well as several readings from the gospel. 

Song of Solomon 2:10-13; 8:6-7, 1 Corinthians 13:1-13, Mark 10:6-9,13-16 Rey was as familiar with all of them as she was any part of a traditional Christian wedding ceremony. Though they weren’t the words of the faith she personally practiced, their words still touched her soul as they were read aloud. She had to admit they had their merits as verses on love and devotion.

As the readings concluded, the time came to recite their vows.

Facing each other, the archbishop had Rey and Ben take each other’s right hand, wrapping them together in his stole as a symbol of the cementing of their union by the church. 

Repeating after the archbishop, Ben began his vows. As he said them, his eyes were as tearful as they’d been earlier watching Rey walk down the aisle.

“In the Name of God, I, Ben, take you, Rey, to be my wife- 

to have and to hold from this day forward, 

for better for worse, 

for richer for poorer,

in sickness and in health, 

to love and to cherish, 

until we are parted by death. 

This is my solemn vow.”

Rey’s emotions swelled as it came to be her turn. Her own eyes filled with tears of joy as she said the following words.

“In the Name of God, I, Rey, take you, Ben, to be my husband- 

to have and to hold from this day forward, 

for better for worse, 

for richer for poorer, 

in sickness and in health, 

to love and to cherish, 

until we are parted by death.

This is my solemn vow.”

The archbishop unwrapped his stole from their hands, then retrieved their weddings rings from the altar. Holding the rings up for the church to see, he began reciting a blessing over them.

“Bless these rings, O Lord, to be a sign of the vows by which  
this man and this woman have bound themselves to each  
other; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”

“Amen” The church replied.

The rings were then given to Rey and Ben, so they could place them on each other’s hands while repeating their next set of vows.

Ben’s nerves seemed to have settled as he was able to get through this part a bit less tearfully. The ring he’d had made for Rey looked to have vines engraved around the outside, a style that complimented the Tudor Rose engagement ring she already wore. 

The vine motif wasn’t as it appeared however. What at first glance looked like vines were actually lighting bolts, something that was only visible to those who looked closely. The royal jewelers had been confused why that symbol might be wanted on a wedding ring, but had done as their king asked all the same. 

Sliding the gold band adorned with symbol of her strength in magic on Rey’s finger, Ben smiled at her knowingly as he recited the following words.

“Rey, I give you this ring as a symbol of my vow, 

and with all that I am, 

and all that I have, 

I honor you, 

in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”

Next it was Rey’s turn to do the same.

The gold band she’d had designed for Ben was adorned with engravings of fire and water around it. The flames and waves appeared to be chasing each other around the outside of the ring. The royal jewelers had assumed it was a scriptural reference to water driving out the flames of sin, honoring the Kings devotion to his faith. 

Rey had a much more meaningful reason to chose those symbols however.

During their training together, Ben had proven to have a particular talent for controlling cosmic energies. Fire, water, air- all behaved for him exactly as he needed them to the moment he summoned them. She’d been incredibly proud of him as he found his niche in the world of magic so quickly, and wanted to make sure she honored that part of him with the ring that symbolized her love for him.

As she slid the ring with secret magical symbolism on his finger, it made it a little easier to recite the Christian parts of her vows that felt odd to be coming out of her own mouth.

“Ben, I give you this ring as a symbol of my vow, 

and with all that I am, 

and all that I have, 

I honor you, 

in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”

Several more prayers were said and verses recited as the rest of the ceremony went on around them. The two of them barely heard a word of any of it. They couldn’t help but be lost in each others eyes, glowing in the love that existed between them as together they waited to hear the only words that really mattered.

Finally the Archbishop came to the part they’d waited to hear.

“…I now pronounce that they are husband and wife, in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”

The Archbishop made the sign of the cross over the two of them, signifying their union was now officially blessed and recognized by the church.

“Those whom God has joined together- let no one put asunder.”

He lowered his voice so just the two of them heard what was said next.

“Your majesty, you may kiss your bride.”

The two shared a kiss every bit as full of love as the bond they shared- while not _too ___scandalous for a church setting of course.

The organ and choir behind them broke into a hymn as the church around them erupted with applause. Weddings were the one time applause was permitted during a sacred ceremony, and those in attendance made the most of it as they cheered to celebrate the royal union.

The two of them couldn’t help but feel both relieved and overjoyed as the space around them filled with celebration. The world around them finally saw them as one- just as they’d known they were destined to be since the moment they’d first found each other.

Together they turned to walk back out down the aisle. As they got to the bottom of the steps in front of the altar, Ben realized they were forgetting someone.

He turned back to look to where Mary was standing with one of Rey’s ladies, and waved her forward to come join them. It was hardly traditional for a groom to invite his children to walk with him and his wife down the aisle on their wedding day, but as always Ben preferred to do things his way. Rey firmly agreed her place was beside them as they appeared as man and wife for the first time.

The little princess beamed as she skipped forward and took her father’s hand as he led both ladies down the nave of the church, towards their new life together as a family.

*****

As the royal family exited the church together for the first time, the burst of midday light was almost blinding. Combined with the deafening cheers of the London public that filled the plaza in front of them, they had to steady themselves for a moment before continuing forward to the carriage that awaited them. 

Thunderous rounds of cheering filled the streets of the city, continuing throughout their ride back to the palace. As overwhelmingly loud as it was, a part of Ben couldn’t hold back a feeling he’d been trying to avoid all day. The thought that his parents weren’t there for his wedding to Rey was a hard one, especially since they’d been there at his first wedding. 

He’d avoided looking at the pew where he’d remembered them sitting, as well as anything that would have reminded him of them. Riding in the carriage as a family however, he couldn’t help but think of the fact that no other living Tudors awaited to celebrate with them as the day went on. 

He did his best to put it out of his mind, reminding himself how long he’d waited for everything that was taking place. The moment the palace came into view hoerver, for some reason thoughts of his parents became even harder to shake. 

As the carriage entered the gate and made it’s way into the central courtyard, he and Rey both noticed a bright flicker of blue light in one of palace’s higher windows. 

_Did you see that? ___Rey asked through their bond.

_Yeah… I did. ___

_Any idea what that could have been? ___Rey wasn’t quite sure what to think. Bright flashes of light weren’t something people were used to seeing in the 1500s. She’d seen something similar once before, but at the time no one else had been around to see it.

The lack of reaction from those around them made it clear they’d been the only ones to see this particular anomaly.

 _It kind of feels like someone checking in on us. ___Ben noted without a second thought.

Rey turned to look at him, surprised by how quickly he came to that conclusion. She’d had the exact same feeling that morning while getting ready.

“What makes you think that?” She asked out loud. 

Ben smiled as he shrugged his shoulders. “Just a feeling.”

*****

As the newlyweds entered the great hall that evening, shouts and cheers of joy from their courtiers greeted them as handfuls of red and white rose petals were tossed in the air around them. Rey reached up and spun around for a moment, reveling in the display. It wasn’t every day one got to savor the feeling of being showered with fresh rose petals. 

Poe stood at the front of court, violin at the ready to kick off festivities. Right away he struck up one of Ben and Rey’s favorite dances. 

As the bride and groom began to spin around each other, it was clear to all those present that this was the happiest the court had been in years. Even Hux seemed full of life as he joined in the dancing-something he wasn’t typically known for doing. Rey imagined that had something to with the fact that she’d noticed him spending less time around their father, and more time getting lost in other pursuits. Wherever he was Poe was, and when one was missing from court, so too was the other. 

At dinner Ben and Rey were seated with Mary to Rey’s right as the Maid of Honor and Charles to Ben’s left as his Best Man. 

“Oh sister, you’ve looked absolutely radiant all day!” Mary said to her, taking it all in. “Could you ever have imagined all of this when we were little girls?!” 

“Definitely not…” Rey swallowed a gulp of wine, doing her best to hide a chuckle. When she was a little girl she never could have imagined the scenes taking place in front of her. She quickly thought of what to say to change the subject from their childhood. 

As she did, something about the way Mary seemed to glow caught her eye. “I have to say, you’re practically glowing yourself. That green I picked for your dress today really suits you.”

“Oh… thank you!” Mary smiled- though she did seem a little surprised, as if she’d been called out for something. 

Just then Rey noticed she didn’t have any wine in front of her. Of all people, the maid of honor aught to have been served already. She looked around for a server to remedy the situation. 

As soon as she’d caught ones’ eye, she went to hold up Mary’s glass to tell them they’d missed serving her. 

“Um… no need.” Mary whispered lowly, taking the empty glass back and quickly setting it in front of her place setting. Rey couldn’t help but notice she wasn’t able to make eye contact with her while doing so. 

Rey’s eyes suddenly went wide as the realization hit her. 

“You’re not typically one to refuse a drink… especially one as delicious as the wine served at a Royal wedding..” Rey said skeptically, having an idea of what was up. 

“Yes… well… don’t say it too loudly.” Mary replied her eyes darting around to make sure they hadn’t been overheard. 

It all but confirmed what Rey already suspected. 

She leaned forward and turned to look to her left around Ben. She stared right at Charles. As she caught his eye, her own eyes narrowed him. She shook her head as if to say _I should have known… ___

Charles and Ben stared back at her dumbfounded, clueless as to what the sudden scrutiny was about. Of course Charles knew whatever it was he deserved it- he just couldn’t guess at the moment what it was.

Rey leaned back and looked at her sister, her excitement building as the news sank in. 

“So… when were you going to tell me?!” She whispered.

“I didn’t want to take away from the excitement of your big day.” Mary said humbly.

Rey looked around at the extravagant celebration taking place before them. A troop of acrobats had just arrived as the next in line for the evening’s entertainment. 

“I think we can spare some excitement...” Rey smiled. “I’m guessing this means we’ll be hearing an announcement soon?”

“ _Very ___soon hopefully.”

“Hopefully? Does Charles know yet?!”

Mary sighed. “I haven’t even told him yet. I just figured it out myself this past week.”

“He won’t hear it from me.” Rey assured her. “I’m sure he’ll be delighted to hear it… as will your new brother in law. Ben _loves ___children. His best friend’s child as well as his own niece or nephew… that will be _very ___exciting news here at court.”

“You know I hadn’t even thought of that… My children… nieces and nephews to the king…”

“That is how this all works.” Rey smiled. “But not before we make sure to plan a fabulous wedding for the two of you right away once we get back from Scotland.”

“A honeymoon and another quick wedding to plan… How ever will you two have time to rule the country?” Mary laughed. 

“Oh I’m sure we’ll find a way…” 

_Whatever you two are giggling about- does it have to do with the look you gave Charles a minute ago? ___Ben asked through their bond, unable to hold back his curiosity any longer.

 _It does. ___Rey replied flatly.

_So… are we going to find out what’s going on? ___

_Not just yet…. no. ___

_That doesn’t seem very fair. ___

Rey sighed happily. _Charles will find out soon enough, and then I’ll tell you. He’ll need to find out first as it involves him more than you. Fair enough? ___

Ben turned to look at her _Fair enough. ___He smiled.

Whatever it was she was keeping a secret, he wasn’t too worried about it. He had his own surprises planned for the evening that he couldn’t wait to share.

*****

After dinner Ben pulled Rey aside as soon as he could, whisking her down to the lower part of the castle away from the crowds. The further they got away from the celebrations, they more Rey couldn’t begin to imagine what this was about. 

She soon realized they were headed to a part of the castle she’d never been to before. The air became cooler the further underground they went. The change in the air made sense as they arrived at their destination. 

Two guards stood on either side of a large oak door, clearly guarding something they didn’t want anyone accidentally stumbling upon. 

“Your majesty.” One nodded, pulling out a large set of keys and opening the door. On the other side of the door, a cavernous space opened up with cathedral like arched ceilings. Inside rows of barrels stretched from wall to wall. It was the king’s prized collection of wines, aging to perfection before being served at court. 

Ben took Rey’s hand and led her her down to the end of a row of barrels. Wheras most of the barrels had numbers painted on them to indicate what dates they’d been sealed and when they were to be opened, the group of barrels he’d led her to had instructions on them that read “To be opened at his majesty’s pleasure.”

“You brought me down here to show me some wine barrels?” Rey asked, still confused as to the reason for the sudden diversion. 

“Not just any wine barrels. This is one of _several ___wedding presents I have planned.” Ben said.

It was an unusual wedding present, but Rey figured he had his reasons. “So… when exactly do I get to enjoy this special vintage?”

“These barrels won’t be opened until the feast celebrating the arrival of our first born.” He explained. 

Rey wasn’t sure what to say at first. She couldn’t help but feel a mix of emotions as she looked at the barrels. The pressure to produce an heir hadn’t set in just yet, but she had no doubt it would soon now that they were married. She knew how much Ben looked forward to more children- it was a dream she looked forward to as much as he did. 

The fact that it hadn’t happened yet even though they’d been intimate for a few months combined with the news she’d just heard from her sister did give her a _tiny ___bit of anxiety though. She couldn’t help but wonder why it hadn’t happened for her self just yet.

Ben sensed her nervousness right away and made sure to make one thing clear.

“The thing about wine is- the longer you let it age, the better it is. If we have to open these sooner than later, we’ll still enjoy it as the wine in these barrels comes from the finest grapes harvested in Italy this year. If we have to wait, that just means what’s waiting for us inside will be even more incredible when the time comes.”

Rey’s heart melted as she realized the intention behind the unusual gift. It was Ben’s special way of saying whether babies came sooner or later, the most important thing was they’d be in it together every step of the way. If it did take a little while to start their family, that would make it even more sweeter whenever it happened. 

“You really are the most thoughtful, loving man that ever lived- do you know that?” She finally said, wrapping her arms around him as she felt herself choking up.

“With you as my wife, I have every reason to be.” He said, kissing away any tears that had formed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Notes on history:  
> -Princess Mary's silver cup adorned with ribbons was what flower girls carried their petals in during Tudor times- that is if the bride and groom could afford silver. Commoners used regular pottery. Decorative baskets weren't commonly used until they were mass produced much later. Flower girls entering a wedding in front of the bride are a tradition that dates back to ancient Greece.  
> -That edit at the end is Henry VIII's actual wine cellar. I just added some barrels to it make it look like it was in use. Barrel's filled with wine aren't kept in there anymore as barrels are extremely messy (they leak!) and require a lot of work to maintain, so all existing photos of it show it empty. My husband and I own a brewery and have our own barrel aging space, though it's not nearly as epic as Henry's! Seeing it filled again and brought back to life just felt right with as much time as I've spent around barrels!


	17. Forsaking All Others

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey faces the most stressful part of becoming a royal bride- the consummation ceremony. Luckily Ben has promised he will make sure she forgets anyone else in the room exists.
> 
> Will his majesty deliver? Or more to the point- has he ever not?
> 
> [](https://ibb.co/48MGSRq)  
> 

In the privacy of a side room, Rey’s ladies removed the layers of clothing that made up her wedding ensemble. As they slipped her nightgown on over her head, the looser fabric somehow made her feel tenser than she’d felt in her elaborate wedding dress. Her wedding dress had been strong and sturdy- like armor- putting up an elegant façade to shield her from the rest of the world. The loose fabric of her nightgown now offered no such protection.

Rey had a few minutes to try and attempt to relax as Alice helped let down her hair, removing the nest of pins that had held it in place all day. She let most of it loosely fall down her back and tied the top part back in a braid to pull it out of her face. The looser style helped Rey feel a bit more like her normal self from the elaborate hood and veil she’d worn most of the day. 

_Breathe… just breathe. ___she thought to herself just before entering their bedchamber where the consummation ceremony was set to take place. As she entered the room, her eyes remained focused on the fire blazing in the hearth. The servants had made sure to build one larger than usual, ensuring the space stayed as toasty and comfortable as possible.

The distraction of a roaring fire was one Rey was grateful for. The hearth offered the only light in the room- save for a handful of candles illuminating the area around the bed, and the receiving area at the other end of the room where members of the clergy and state officials now sat. 

As she stared into the firelight it was clear no messages awaited her tonight, much as she’d like to see one. It would have been a reassurance to have some semblance of whom she really was while waiting among the people that had gathered.

A priest came over to bless her while her ladies dutifully lined up along the wall, facing the bed with their heads bowed in prayer. Rey knelt before the priest and closed her eyes, holding the rosary she’d kept with her all day as she played the part of a good Catholic bride. 

Even with her eyes closed, she could still feel every eye in the room was on her. 

After the prayer and blessing had ended, she rose to her feet again, eyes still focused on the fire. It was the only place in the room she could bring herself to look. Making eye contact with any one of the people who were about to witness what was set to take place would have made it even harder to go through with it.

Rey jumped as she heard the door at the back of the room unlatch and open. As she turned to look in that direction, Ben was already walking towards her, dressed in his nightshirt and robe and followed behind by his groomsman. The sight of him finally gave her the ability to breathe again.

[](https://ibb.co/JxLr40D)

Ben could immediately sense how nervous Rey was as soon as he entered the room. Her anxiety had already filled the space. Without a word he went over to her and put his arms around her, kissing her on the forehead to calm her. Rey held on to him tightly as she relaxed into the warmth of his arms surrounding her.

After a few moments of holding each other, Ben knew the sooner they got down to business the better. Waiting for things that made one nervous only added to the pressure. The sooner he had her relaxing into his presence, the easier the experience would be for her. 

Gently he put his hand under her chin, nudging her face up to kiss him. Somehow Rey was able to find herself lost for a moment in the divine comfort of their connection.

That comfort was interrupted as someone coughed, drawing her attention back to the gathering she’d been trying to ignore.

“Look at me, my love.” Ben said turning her face to look at him again, framing his hands on either side to shield her eyes from seeing anyone but him. “We’re the only two that mater here.”

The comfort of his words helped the presence of others begin to slowly drift away. 

Ben wrapped his arms around her again, kissing her for a moment as he held her. As their bodies touched, his robe brushed open and Rey could feel he was naked under his nightshirt, just as she was under her nightgown. From what she felt waiting for her, it was clear the tension of the occasion hadn’t affected him.

After their much needed kiss came to an end, Ben wasted no time taking her hand and leading her to the bed, making sure her eyes stay fixed on him the whole time.

Once he had her tucked into her side, he walked back to his side, taking his robe off and handing it to one of his groomsman. 

The snicker of encouragement from Charles was something Rey could have gone all night without- not that she would have expected any less. 

Once Ben slid over the covers beside her, Rey was grateful to finally be under the covers together. Every step in the evening’s preparations felt like one less hurdle to get through once it had passed. 

As they sat next to each other in the bed for a moment, Rey felt Ben’s hand take hers. It was just the encouragement she needed in that moment. 

Just then the Archbishop came over and stood at the foot of the bed. He said a blessing over them in Latin, one Rey supposed prayed for copious amounts of children to spring forth from their marriage bed. Whatever it said, she was glad not to understand it. It was one less thing for her mind to get caught up in as she thought of all that lay ahead.

She jumped as a sprinkle of holy water hit her face, making her realize she hadn’t been paying attention.

_Are you alright? ___She heard Ben say through their bond as he squeezed her hand.

_Never better. ___She lied.

Ben tried not to smile too big at her reply. He was grateful she was able to keep her sense of humor in spite of the unusual situation she found herself in.

After the blessing the two of them were handed two small glasses of port. Both downed them immediately, thankful for the liquid courage to aid in the evening's endeavors. 

Next the bridesmaids and groomsman lined up at the foot of the bed for a tradition Rey had actually looked forward to. Having read about it in her research over the years, she’d always wondered what witnessing such a thing would be like. Of course, she’d have never imagined she’d be the center of attention during such an occasion. 

The wedding party took turns throwing their stockings at the bride and groom. Throwing light cloth through the air was no easy task, but a few managed to hit their mark. Whenever one did, that was supposed to mean they’d be the next to marry- the Tudor England version of a bouquet toss.

Interestingly enough, both Mary’s and Charles' managed to land a hit. Rey smiled knowingly at both of them as they did. Each time someone landed a hit, small cheers of success would make all in attendance giggle. One added benefit Rey didn’t realize was the comic nature of all of it helped her relax as the ritual went on.

After the last two had their shot, the stockings were gathered up. 

Rey’s face felt suddenly hot again as those seated in the receiving area began to applaud the final sight of the king tucked into bed with his new bride. She swallowed hard as the wedding party drew the curtains back slowly as the group of guests applauded. Ben was the only one of the two of them able to look up as the curtains shut around them.

With the curtains closed, Rey finally felt some semblance of privacy which she was immediately grateful for. She could sense bridesmaid's and groomsman’s presences passing by as the wedding party made their way out. The wedding party had been there to wish them luck in the beginning, but unmarried guests (with the exception of the clergy) weren’t permitted to see what took place next. 

What Rey didn’t know was as soon as their friends headed out, a couple of Rey’s ladies maids hurried off to another hallway a servant had alerted them to. The hallway featured a spot to look through on an opposing wall, concealed by a loose section of tapestry that hung on the wall. It was a secret listening spot only a few in the castle knew of. 

Hearing the door latch behind the last of their wedding party, the newlyweds knew it was time to begin. 

Not wasting a moment, Ben climbed on top of his bride, pulling his nightshirt off and casting it aside. The sight of his naked, muscled form above her was just what Rey needed to finally begin to let go. 

His arms were soon around her as he dove in to drown her in kisses. Rey happily melted into the feeling of it as she did her best to let her mind slip away. 

She soon felt Ben’s hands unbuttoning the front of her nightgown, pulling it aside between kisses. He couldn’t wait a moment longer to feel her naked body against his under the covers. 

In the midst of their growing passions Rey heard Ben’s voice through their bond.

_I can’t tell you how beautiful you are today… it’s taken all I had to wait to finally have you all to myself like this… ___

Rey could feel her own fire building as she responded without a second thought.

_And here we are… I believe I remember a promise to make me forget anyone else ever existed? ___

Ben paused, holding himself above her again. A smile spread across his face as he realized he finally had her where he wanted her.

He knew just what he needed to do next…

He took both her hands in his, pining them next to her shoulders as he held her in place below him. His face was just inches away from her as his eyes stared into her own with a fierceness.

It felt as if his gaze itself were penetrating her.

Their souls began connecting on a deeper level as he did it. 

The energy of their bond around them began to pulse higher and stronger, drowning out and wiping away any sense of others in the room. 

After a few moments of drinking in that connection, Rey leaned up puling him into her to steal more kisses, unable to hold back any longer. 

Ben eagerly dove back in, wrapping her in is arms and clutching her to him as he happily returned the kisses she craved. 

Their hands snaking across their bodies, Rey instantly wrapped her legs around him, pulling his body closer as she could. 

After a few moments of the heated embrace, Ben broke free and began trailing kisses down her chest, staring up at her all the while, his dark eyes burning with the fire she loved seeing whenever his passions consumed him. 

As his tongue began circling her nipple, she couldn’t help but let out a slight moan. Not that she thought twice about it. By now their connection was so strong she’d all but forgotten there was anyone else in the room.

Those who were in fact in the room were quickly realizing they weren’t witnessing a typical consummation.

The state and church officials present had all witnessed other consummation ceremonies before- Ben’s older brother's, Ben’s first marriage, a few had even visited Scotland as diplomats to witness his younger sister's. The archbishop was the only one old enough to have been there for Han and Leia’s as well. 

Rey’s ladies maids who’d remained behind to watch in secret however were seeing something totally new- that is, the ceremony itself. By now they'd been around and heard enough to know Rey and Ben’s lovemaking in private matched the passion they appeared to have for each other in public.

Ben disappeared under the covers as Rey held her breath for what happened next. She stared up at the canopy, admiring for a moment the intricate layers of fabric that made it up.

Rey’s thoughts of the canopy world were quickly pulled away. Her eyes rolled shut the moment she felt Ben’s tongue slip between the folds of her mound.

_You truly are determined to make me forget… ___She teased through their bond.

_Did I promise any less? ___He replied.

_Just…. don’t spend…. Too much time down there…. I can’t wait to have you back up here with me… ___

_Don’t worry, I’m not about to let my beautiful bride get lonely. ___

_I would hope n- ___

Rey didn’t get the chance to finish that thought as his tongue found just he right rhythm to take her breath away. 

She clutched the bed sheets as the pleasure welled up within her thighs. She made sure to keep her eyes closed the entire time he remained below the covers, determined not to let any part of what she was experiencing get drowned out by distraction. Below the covers, Ben licked and sucked more and more as his face felt the inside of her thighs bristling with pleasure and anticipation.

As many times as he’d pleased her this way, he no longer needed to see what he was doing to know it was having an affect. Every added sense of stimulation his tongue created stood out to him through his gifted sight as he began building a delicate bundle of pressure between her folds. 

As she allowed the pleasure to consumer her, Rey’s breath quickened as she braced for what she knew was coming. As gifted as Ben’s mouth was, not even a whole room of heads of state could hold her back from the joy of losing herself to all his plush lips and tongue could do to her. 

Deep moans and gasps began to roll out of her as Ben’s tongue found all the right spots to caress. If those gathered had suspected they were witnessing something unusual before, by now they were finding it hard to keep their eyes fixed on any one point in the room.

_Yes… right there… ___Rey begged as his finger found precisely where it needed to be inside of her body.

_You like that, my love? ___Ben Teased back, his mouth and fingers working her inside and out.

_You’re… perfectly capable… of figuring that out. ___Rey replied coyly.

All at once the combined stimulation had the pressure he’d been building beginning to unravel. 

Rey’s back arched up towards the canopy as her head fell back, her mouth allowing a long glorious moan to escape.

As her moans faded, there was only one thing Ben needed to know. 

_Does my wife need more of what she’s been enjoying or would you like me to join you above the sheets? ___

Rey absolutely _loved ___hearing him use the phrase “my wife”.

 _Please… I need you up here. ___He heard her say.

Ben didn’t need to be told twice. 

In a moment he was back up above the covers again, ready to join her as they officially sealed the union between them once and for all. 

Rey felt his rigid cock nudging at her entrance as he lowered himself down over her, ready to dive into the sumptuous warmth he’d carefully warmed up for himself. 

“Are you ready my love?” He whispered in her ear, his cheek against hers as he held back for a moment. 

“Yes- give me _everything.” ___She whispered back.

Rey let out another passionate, unrestrained moan as his cock slid up into her to the hilt.

More than a few eyebrows raised among those present as the sounds acknowledging female ecstasy filled the room.

Feeling the fullness of his cock push up into her all the way Rey felt the slight burn of tension inside her at first. 

_Slow at first. ___She said through their bond, letting him know she’d need a bit more patience than usual as her body took it’s time to open up to him under the circumstances.

 _Whatever you need. ___He said as he leaned in to kiss her forehead.

Looking back down at her as he began slowly pulling himself in and out, Ben remembered something he’d been doing before that seemed to have an affect. 

He held his face inches from hers as his hips began slowly thrusting back and forth, creating the needful gyrations that would bring them together to where they needed to be. 

As their eyes stared into each other, the power of their bond began building around them again, higher and stronger, burning with their passions like the flames that leapt and crackled from within the fireplace. 

Remembering how his voice seemed to help things earlier, Ben leaned in to whisper in her ear.

“Your mine now - In every way.” He promised. The way his low voice rumbled out of him as he said it had her all but purring with delight. 

“I always have been.” She whispered back breathlessly.

“Now the world knows it as much as we do.”

Those words proved to be all Rey needed to finally let go and surrender to the passion they found themselves being swept away by. 

Opening her legs wider and rocking her hips up into him, her body began begging him to find the spot she needed. 

As well as he knew her body by now it didn’t take Ben long.

After a few moments his cock was driving into her spot as he began fucking her more urgently, his body begging her to lose it on him every bit as much as he needed it to.

Rey reveled in the increased stimulation beginning to roll through her core. All at once her back arched up, offering her breasts to him like delicious treats that begged to be sucked. 

Finding them too beautiful to ignore, Ben planted his mouth over her right nipple- the one he knew to be the more sensitive of the two. Right away he began sucking and kissing, adding an onslaught of mind numbing tingles to all that her body was feeling. 

“Please, Ben YES!” Rey gasped, wrapping her legs around him tighter and clutching his body to her as the as the combined sensations had her edging closer towards her limit.

Had she not been totally consumed by all that was happening- she might have heard one or two of the heavy sighs that caused. 

Ben could feel Rey’s body begging to come undone below him as the walls inside her body urged him deeper. 

The sensation of it told him all he needed to know. 

He began thrusting himself into her harder and harder, his tongue mercilessly swirling around her right nipple as he did all he could to make her body let go. 

All at once the combination got to be too much. Rey’s hips began to shudder as the first burst of a powerful orgasm began rumbling through her.

“AaaaaaaaaAAAHHHHHHhhhhh” She wailed, her head fully thrown back as her cries of ecstasy filled the room. 

Ben clenched his eyes shut for a moment as he continued thrusting to give her all she needed, bracing against the urge to lose it right away while feeling her body coming undone on him. 

As he opened his eyes again he realized he could have just gone with it, being that the end goal on this particular evening was to get this done as quickly as possible. As many times as they’d been together, it was second nature to refrain from coming to quickly.

_Did you really just hold back from finishing? ___He heard Rey ask, wondering what the hold up was.

As much as she was enjoying it, the quicker they could get this over with and have the group of spectators leave them alone, the better. 

_Sorry. ___He smiled down at her sheepishly as she looked back up at him. _It’s a bit of a habit. ___

 _I suppose that’s not all bad. ___She sighed. _Just make sure not to hold out too much longer. I would like to have some time alone with my husband on my wedding night. ___

 _That I understand fully. ___He smiled, slowly resuming the impassioned thrusts he’d been engaging in moments before.

Ben wrapped his arms around her holding her tight as he got back to work. Meanwhile a few muffled coughs and clearing of throats could be heard throughout the room. Where as Rey could finally feel herself fully relaxing into the experience, a sense of tension had begun to creep over those in attendance. 

_How the tables have turned… ___She thought to herself, a thought which Ben heard.

He tried not to laugh as he smiled from ear to ear. 

_Want to give them a show worth remembering? ___He asked, unable to hold back.

_I’m sure I could be persuaded. ___She smirked. She could tell exactly where this was going and as far as they’d come, she wasn’t about to hold back. As the power of their bond between them grew, taking some power back from those in the room turned out to be exactly what Rey was in the mood for.

All at once Ben sat up, bringing his legs up under her as he got situated. Moments later Rey’s body began surrendering to the overwhelming fullness of his cock diving further up into her as she fell into his lap.

Ben nuzzled into her hair as she settled into him, kissing along her neck as he began rocking below her. Rey instantly returned the affection, wrapping her arms around his shoulders, holding him close as she adjusted her self, wrapping her legs around his waist as her body continued opening up to him further.

Being the position that their bond had first fully come to life between them had quickly become one of their favorites. Emotionally they way it connected them was unlike anything else. Physically, the way it drove Ben up into Rey, the force of her body weight bearing her down on him had them both fully wrapped up in the passion that existed between them. 

Feeling his wife urging her hips more fervently into all they were doing, Ben couldn’t help smile to himself. He _loved ___the way being with Rey like this made her body open up to him so fully and completely.

Rocking her hips forward and up, the strain of Ben’s cock hitting her just where he needed it to each time, Rey’s lust for her husband began to consume her. 

She held onto him fiercely as their bodies began to rock together in unison, giving themselves more and more of what their souls desperately longed for.

The deeper their passion burned for each other, the stronger their bond became.

The stronger the bond between them became, the less and less they could sense anyone else present other than themselves…

As Ben’s thrusts grew in intensity, Rey’s gasps grew into low moans. Low moans grew into needful exclamations, which grew in strength and fierceness the closer they edged towards where they needed to be. 

Hearing his wife’s very vocal indications of pleasure had Ben knowing she was ready for him to do everything he could to her- and Ben couldn’t wait to give it to her.

He leaned back for a moment, gripping her hips with both hands as he shoved himself up into her. Rey’s eyes went wide and her breath caught in her chest for a moment as the intensity of it hit her.

Moments later she gripped his shoulders and pulled him back up to her, her head falling back and her back arching as her mouth fell open in a silent scream of the release she hadn’t been able to achieve just yet. 

Ben firmly planted a hand on her shoulder, shoving her body down onto his cock, forcing himself as deeply and fully into her as he could, giving her body everything needed to drive through to the explosion that begged to be unleashed.

All at once Rey’s silent scream became a fully audible one as her body began to let go. 

Feeling Rey’s body throbbing around him all at once had Ben erupting up into her. The added force only made her come harder. Together their wails of combined pleasure echoed off the stone walls around them.

Outside in the hallway the guards gaze stayed fixed firmly forward as they were used to hearing Rey and Ben being driven absolutely wild by each other. Inside the room however all in attendance were riveted to their seats.

“Gods above- they’ve really done it this time.” One of her ladies maids whispered behind their secret vantage point. The thought made the others giggle, giggles which thankfully weren’t heard above the explosion of passionate lovemaking within the royal bedchamber. 

As Rey’s screams faded and she began coming down, she leaned back up into Ben, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and holding him to her as she drank in the euphoric feeling of completion between their souls. 

Ben instantly wrapped his arms around her as well hugging her to him. Like every time they made love to each other, he couldn’t get enough of the fire that existed between them. Even the simmering afterglow of it was extraordinary. Unlike actual fire the higher it burned, the closer the two of them needed to be to it, until they felt themselves utterly swept away by everything that existed between them. 

After holding each other and catching their breath for a while, the realization of where they were suddenly hit them. In the throws of lovemaking their bond had indeed helped them forget anyone else existed.

Of course, those in the room still very much existed- a fact that they could no longer ignore. 

The newlyweds couldn’t help smirking at each other as they realized what they’d just done. Quietly the two of them crawled over back up under the covers, waiting to hear what happened next as they’d gone above and beyond fulfilling their duties for the evening.

Ben of course knew what happened next having experienced it once before; although this time it didn’t play out quite like he remembered.

Those present remained seated for far longer than would otherwise be expected. All appeared to be sitting frozen in place, staring silently as they came to terms with what they’d just witnessed. None dared say a word or make eye contact just yet, but it was clear all in attendance needed a moment to catch their breath after what had just happened. 

After what felt like several minutes, the priest who’d blessed them earlier could be heard rising to his feet and walking forward heavily, clearing his throat as he got to the bed. 

He said a quick blessing over the bed again, a blessing which by the sound of it he bumbled through horribly. Rey tried not to giggle as she listened, realizing just how undone they’d made everyone in attendance. 

“…et nomine patris et filii et spiritus sancti, AMEN.” He finally said, before turning to hurry out of the room as quickly as humanly possible without appearing too frazzled. 

All at once they heard the others present rising from their seats simultaneously, shoving their chairs back as they quickly rose to their feet. The tension among the group of witnesses was palpable as they heard them all making their way to the door, shuffling quickly to get to wherever it was they needed to go for the rest of their evening.

As they heard the door to their chambers finally latch shut, Ben and Rey couldn’t help but burst out laughing. After the stressful nature of the earlier part of the evening, it was a much needed release in addition to all they’d just experienced. 

“Well done sweetheart.” Ben said pulling her close and kissing her. “I think that just might go down in memory as the greatest royal consummation of all time.”

“Please tell me that type of thing isn’t recoded in some secret journal of royal sexual escapades somewhere.” Rey sighed. 

“Of course not, but- well I’m sure there will be quite a few spouses who haven’t felt the full throws of passion in some time that might be blessed with a surprise this evening.”

Rey smiled as she turned to look at him, remembering all they’d sensed from those present as they left. “You know you might be right about that.”

“Our first act as rulers- getting several of our courtiers laid. Looks like our rule is off to a prosperous start.” Ben smirked. 

“Prosperous indeed.” Rey replied snuggling into him.

*****

Elsewhere in the castle in the Duke of Suffolk’s chambers, Charles had just been told not one, but two very special visitors had slipped away to come find him that evening. 

“You’re sure?!” He asked, awestruck as he and Mary stood in front of the fireplace.

“Mmmhmmm” Mary nodded, her eyes glistening with tears as she said it.

The rush of everything he’d just been told began to wash over him. 

The most extraordinary woman he’d ever known was carrying his child… He was going to be a father…

“God in heaven…” He said barely above a whisper as he put a hand on her belly. “And you’re _absolutely ___sure?” He asked again.

“Yes, I’m absolutely sure.” She smiled.

After a few moments his face lit up, the excitement of everything that lay ahead hitting him.

“Ah-ha!” He cheered, taking her in his arms and spinning her around. “That’s great! Oh sweetheart I can’t believe it! You and me parents?! Who’d have thought…”

“We certainly haven’t done anything to avoid it from happening.” She sighed.

“That is true.” He scoffed proudly. “Have you told anyone else yet?”

“I hadn’t planned on it but Rey saw right through me when I wasn’t drinking wine at the feast this evening. I figured I’d better tell you right away before anyone else figured it out.”

“That sister of yours doesn’t miss much- So that’s why she gave me that look this evening?”

“That would be why.”

“Well deserved.” He couldn’t stop grinning from ear to ear the more he thought about it. 

After a few moments he realized Mary had gone silent. 

“What?” He asked, unsure what else he was missing. 

“Babies… starting a family…” She said eyebrows raised. “Are there… _any ___other thoughts you might have on the matter?”

Charles eyes went wide as he realized in his excitement he’d forgotten one very important detail.

“Right! I suppose I’ll be meeting with your father tomorrow. Let’s pray he doesn’t kill me.”

Mary beamed as he said it. “Don’t go spoiling all the surprises just yet. We can wait a little while before sharing our exciting news.”

“It won’t be easy.” He said taking her in his arms again. “I’m not very good at keeping secrets, especially exciting ones.”

“In that case, know you’ll never have to keep secrets from me. I’d always prefer to know you’re telling the truth anyway.”

“That I can do.”

Together they soaked up the joy between them as they held each other, thinking of how their lives were about to change. Charles couldn’t help but hold her tighter as he realized for the first time in his life he seemed to be doing things right. With everything he had, he hoped he’d prove to be worthy of the woman who’d brought so much happiness into his life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well done Ben and Rey on giving everyone a night to remember. 😏
> 
> Now on to the coronation, then honeymoon time!
> 
> Notes on history- All the traditions in the beginning of their consummation ceremony are what royal couples would have done on their wedding night, including having their wedding party throw stockings at them. I thought that was pretty adorable.


	18. Long May She Reign

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Boleyn family fortunes continue to rise as Rey is crowned queen Kira of England. Unfortunately Rey's father still demands more of his children than the extraordinary success they've already brought him. 
> 
> [](https://ibb.co/KynTQjZ)

Rey’s carriage ride to her coronation wasn’t a solo one as the ride before her wedding had been. This time Unkar had chose to ride with her, citing some surely imagined concern about security. By now Rey knew Unkar well enough to suspect the prospect of not getting to walk her down the aisle and share some of the spotlight had made him want to take advantage of any other opportunity where he could share in the attention his daughter was receiving. She did her best not to let it bother her, knowing full well letting him get his way in this one small instance would be far easier than opposing him. 

If the cheering crowds had been thunderous on her wedding day, London was practically exploding with enthusiasm on the morning of her coronation. Part of the excitement was seeing banners lined all the streets with the KK emblem the new sovereigns would take together. Rey had chosen to take a regnal name like Ben, choosing the name Kira for herself as monarch. It was a name she’d noticed a couple times in her studies of history, though one Kira in particular had quickly become her favorite.

The first to rule with that name had been England’s first queen in the new history she’d come to learn. Kira I had been born Estrid of Daneland, a pagan Viking princess in the Kingdom that appeared to have replaced the early kingdoms of East Anglia and Northumbira in England’s history books. When William the Conquerer had invaded, Estrid’s father King Guthred and her brother Eohric were killed in battle when their armies and William’s met. Daneland proved to be no easy conquest for William however. Newly crowned queen Estrid had taken her place as ruler immediately in the wake of her father and brother’s deaths. She’d gone on to lead the fiercest campaign anyone had ever waged against the conqueror from the south. 

After many years of fighting her armies, William came to admire Estrid’s strength and offered a truce between the kingdoms- if she would marry him and become his queen. 

Estrid had taken the offer, under what Rey suspected had been fear that her people might not survive once William had the full might of the rest of England behind him. Rather than see her kingdom eventually defeated, she converted to Christianity and married William, becoming his queen and ruling all of England by his side as Kira I. 

A twist Rey hadn’t suspected was how much the history books and ballads written in their honor talked of the beautiful romance that had blossomed between them. After marrying to the two appeared to have fallen madly in love, having eight children together and bringing England into a time of peace and prosperity unlike any the island had ever seen. The dramatic enemies to lovers tale was naturally one that stuck in Rey’s mind. She found herself going back to it over and over again as she immersed herself in the new history she needed to learn. 

Rey couldn’t help but think of that first Kira of England as her carriage rolled on through London, down streets which were packed full of raucous crowds cheering with everything they had at the sight of their soon to be queen. She wondered how that first Kira had felt on the day of her coronation. Had it been anything like this? Had she been excited? Scared? Some part of her must have felt tremendous guilt for abandoning of the old ways she’d been raised to know. 

Rey held her thoughts of the warrior queen in her heart as she prepared herself to take the same moniker. Though the world had no way of knowing it yet, Rey was determined to see those with the gift of magic could all live the lives they were born to live. She might not know how she and Ben would accomplish that yet- but by all the gods she was steadfast in the belief that eventually they would make it so. 

Her thoughts of destiny and past queens were interrupted as Unkar reveled in the attention of the crowds. As always he wasn’t one to miss an opportunity. 

“My little Rey… about to be queen of _all of England.” ___He said, totally in awe of the adoration they were receiving on their ride through town. “I can’t tell you how proud I am of you. What a week it’s been for our family. Both you and your sister’s fortunes settled… Mary’s engagement to the Duke will be announced in due time… With that the Boleyn’s will be unstoppable at court. To think I’ve seen both my daughters rise so far so quickly-”

“-and Hux, as well.” Rey chimed in, not about to let her father leave out her brother as he was accustomed to doing lately. 

“What about him?” Unkar asked. 

“He’s done well for himself as much as we have. Surely you’ve noticed he’s the happiest he’s been in some time?”

“I suppose you mean Smeaton.” Unkar’s tone immediately turned. “Your fool of a brother… chasing after a musician as if he doesn’t have anything better to do. I’d hardly call that doing well for himself.” The disapproval in his voice was unmistakable as his jaw tightened with the thought. 

Rey didn’t miss a beat. Continuing to smile and wave at the crowd, she told Unkar everything he needed to hear in no uncertain terms. 

“I’ll remind you that since coming to court, Mr. Smeaton has become one of my closest companions, as well as the King’s. I picked Poe myself in case you forgot. Since becoming the court’s lead musician, his talents have continued to impress more and more with every performance. Many are saying he’s greatest musician of his generation- and I intend to see to it that he’s celebrated and remembered as such. Hux counts being associated with such a talented man as his greatest blessing, and he has every reason to do so.”

Unkar stared at her dumbfounded. 

“I, um….” He struggled to find the words to respond, having never expected to be put in his place like that. “Of course, I didn’t mean to disparage, I was just-“

“Meddling in the lives if your adult children?” Rey cut him off, her gaze fiercely snapping to him as she continued to wave. “You don’t have to explain it to me. I’m _quite ___familiar with your overbearing ability to do so.”

With that she was back to smiling and waving, as if nothing had happened.

After a few moments Unkar turned to look back at the crowds, doing his best to wave as well. In the past Rey standing up to him in such a way would have incurred his wrath to no end, however the last thing Unkar was going to do was oppose the person who was responsible for all the glory and power he found himself suddenly a part of. 

Rey’s smile became a bit more confident as she sensed Unkar’s growing anxiety. Her words had hit just the mark she’d hoped for. 

_And the tables continue to turn… ___She thought to herself.

***** 

Walking up the aisle of the Westminster abbey alone, the organ’s pipes echoed throughout the space announcing her arrival. While walking down the aisle to take part in a Christian wedding ceremony had caused conflicting waves of nervousness and joy, now she felt nothing but serenity and purpose as she neared the place where she’d be invested as England’s queen alongside her husband. 

The further her feet brought her down the nave, the brighter that calling burned within her heart. Her first walk down the aisle that week had been with her father, however this one was taken with two lines of her ladies walking dutifully behind her. Something about it felt so empowering- to be walking alone while also backed by women she’d chosen herself, who she knew she could trust with her life if need be. 

Ben’s smile beaming back at her from where he was seated on his throne had her heart even more certain this was where she was meant to be. Like their wedding day he was dressed in white and gold, though today’s ensemble was a more regal one. Today both she and Ben were dressed as the rulers their country saw them as, rather than the stars of the royal love story they’d celebrated in this same space just a week before. 

An intricate collar of gold and pearls adorned his shoulders, which were topped by large masculine sleeves lined in white and gold brocade. Rey adored the way his black curls crept out below his crown. As stately and powerful as the crown was, the whimsical curls it sat on reminded her of the gentle soul she knew him to be. 

It felt a bit odd to see Ben seated on a lesser throne set off to the side, with a taller, empty throne placed more prominently in the middle of the dais, but that was just a reminder that he’d already had his coronation. Today’s ceremony was about honoring the queen who would rule by his side. 

As in awe as she was of the regal appearance of the man she loved, those in the congregation were equally as taken aback by the extraordinarily beautiful woman coming to be crowned their queen. 

The embroidered skirt of the dress she wore fanned out from her tiny waist, splitting open in the front revealing a panel of richly textured golden fabric that shimmered as she walked. The rest of the skirt spread out dramatically around her, lined with the same brocade Ben’s ensemble featured. The neckline of her dress was draped in scalloped rows of pearls. The sleeves capped her shoulders in ornate gold trim, a design that continued down the lengths of her arms to the delicate cuffs that framed her wrists. 

A subtle row of sparkling beads was pinned in the top of her hair where she’d have normally worn a headpiece. Naturally no veil or hood was worn for the ceremony. It felt a bit odd to be in public with nothing to crown her hair as was the custom in Tudor dress- but of course Rey knew the best was yet to come in that respect. 

As she made her way up the stairs of the dais in the crossing of the nave, it hit her just how unusual it was to see this part of the abbey set up in this way. In the modern lifetime she’d been born to, there hadn’t yet been a coronation of a sovereign of England for her to witness in real time. Though she’d seen reenactments of coronations in movies and seen the black and white footage of Queen Elizabeth’s 1953 coronation more times than she could remember, seeing it this way in person struck her as to what a very special event she found herself taking center stage. It was one of the many reminders she constantly faced about what incredible circumstances she’d found herself in. 

Once she was seated on the throne, her ladies followed behind her and lined up along the back of the dais, standing in attendance to observe their charge taking her place as sovereign. She couldn’t help briefly glancing towards Ben as the last of her ladies took their position. The two of them smiled at each other in anticipation of what lay ahead as the ceremony began around them. 

***** 

Having taken her oath as queen and promised to uphold all the duties of a ruler of England, the Archbishop came to the part all in attendance had been waiting for. 

As his right hand in all things, Ben had chosen Charles to carry Rey’s coronation regalia for the day. He stood to the side, crowned and robed according to his noble station, holding a large velvet pillow presenting the three pieces of the crown jewels to be used in the ceremony. 

Taking the crown first, the Archbishop held it up in front of the congregation for all to see. 

“With this, St. Edwards crown, I do solemnly crown you: _Queen Kira of England!” ___He announced, his voice echoing throughout the enourmous space. The way her crown glittered in the sunlight streaming through the cathedral’s highest window was an awe-inspiring sight.

Seeing the jewels sparkling as they did made Rey realize why coronations were timed when they were- to catch the day’s best light to make the royal finery glitter as brightly as possible. Though Tudor England didn’t have the modern lighting she was used to seeing in her own time, they still knew how to do the best with what they had. 

Rey sat firmly fixed in place as she felt the weight of her new crown settle onto her head. She didn’t have much time to think of all that weight represented before the archbishop turned back to Charles and retrieved the next two items she’d receive. 

“And here are the two scepters of the sovereign!” He said, holding up the orb and scepter as he’d done with her crown moments before. 

Rey took them as he handed them to her, gracefully cradling the scepter in her right arm and holding the orb proudly in front of her in her left hand. She couldn’t help noticing her father and brother standing in the front row, crowned and robed among the other nobility. Their eyes were glued to her as if everything they lived for rested on her shoulders in that moment. Both appeared to stand a little taller at the sight of her in possession of three items of a sovereign. 

“Honor and grace be to our queen Kira!” The Archbishop continued, stepping aside for all the congregation to see their new queen crowned on her throne. “May you prosper, go forward, and may you bear _a new son ___of the King’s blood!”

[ ](https://ibb.co/x1QGSJ2)

Rey’s face remained as noble as ever as she heard those words, a feat which particularly impressed Ben as much as he sensed those words were jarring for a woman of her very advanced time. She truly played her role as a sovereign of Tudor England as if she was born to it. It was one of many reminders he’d become accustomed to of what a tenacious woman he was blessed to have as his partner in all things. 

After communion had been celebrated, Rey and Ben came to stand at the top of the steps of the dais. Rey’s ladies brought forward the two ermine lined, red velvet robes they’d now both wear as the congregation welcomed their new ruler at the King’s side. 

Once they were robed and Rey again held the scepters of the sovereign, the archbishop announced them as they stood before their subjects for the first time as King and Queen. 

“All hail Queen Kira! All Hail King Kylo!” The archbishop said. 

“All hail Queen Kira! All Hail King Kylo!” The congregation responded. 

Rey was happy with her choice to take a regnal name the first time she heard it used alongside Ben’s. As the crowds inside the church cheered their new monarchs, the two names just felt right together. 

The pipes of the organ burst into song, signaling the start of their procession out of the church. 

The doors of the Abbey swung open a few minutes later, giving the crowds of London their first view of the new queen at the King’s side. As they did shouts of “All hail Queen Kira! All Hail King Kylo!” could be heard echoing throughout the square. The two smiled from ear to ear as they waved at their subjects, climbing into the carriage for the ride back to court. 

Flower petals were thrown like confetti from windows here and there as they rode together through the streets. Banners of KK on each corner of their route continued billowing in the afternoon breeze. 

The royal emblem remaining the same as it had been with Ben’s late wife was something Rey had considered when choosing her new royal title. She knew how much the country had come to love their first queen under Ben’s early rule, and the grief that had come from her loss had been and was still being felt by all. Though she never intended to replace Katherine in their hearts in any way, she hoped choosing another K name made the transition to a new queen an easier one. She also hoped keeping the same royal emblem showed her deep respect for the woman who’d come before her. 

***** 

“You were absolutely magnificent today sweetheart, truly.” Ben whispered in Rey’s ear he leaned over to steal yet another kiss in the long line of kisses he’d bestowed upon her that day. 

Rey leaned into his affection as the dance they’d shared came to an end. The dance had been the first of many to kick off the celebratory feast of their coronation. 

“I had a perfect role model of royal decorum by my side the whole time.” She smiled as they turned to made their way back to their seats of honor at the head of the great hall. As busy of a day as she’d had, she couldn’t wait for dinner to be served. She was absolutely famished after the many duties and costume changes the day had required. 

As dinner began, Rey noticed right away the only two people in the room that didn’t seem to be watching her every move was Charles and Mary. The two were seated together at a table nearby, their eyes glued to each other as they appeared to be basking in the glow of their unannounced engagement. 

Rey thought for a moment how odd it was it hadn’t been made public knowlegde right away as most engagements were, but after thinking about it for a bit she began to suspect why. No doubt Unkar had planned it that way so that it wouldn’t be announced until she and Ben were on their honeymoon. On the one hand that would make sure to not take away from the royal celebration of his newly crowned daughter. On the other hand that would make sure Unkar had as many moments as he could in the spotlight, soaking up the credit for his own children’s achievements. 

All at once Rey had an idea of how to make sure Charles and Mary’s engagement received just as much attention and excitement as their own had. 

“My love…” She said leaning over to Ben and getting his attention. “Would you do me a favor?”

“What further favors could a queen possibly need on the day of her coronation?” He teased.

“It’s not for me…” She explained. “It’s for Mary and Charles. I suspect Unkar is holding off announcing their engagement until we’re gone so that it doesn’t take away from all of this.” She waved her hand around, gesturing about the room at the extravagant displays of court pageantry surrounding them. 

Ben rolled his eyes. “That sounds about like him.”

“I was thinking just now- why not raise a toast to it ahead of time? Let everyone know right now this evening how excited we are for them before we leave and miss the official announcement all together?”

“That’s a wonderful idea….” Ben’s face lit up. Looking around the room it appeared the first course of wine had been served to all their courtiers, making it the perfect moment to do so. “I’ll make the announcement and you do the toast. This is your day after all.”

“I think I can manage that.” Rey agreed happily. 

The two of them rose to their feet as Ben got the court’s attention. All in attendance went silent immediately as they noticed the king about to address the room. 

“My most loyal subjects...” He began, taking Rey’s hand as he said it. “I didn’t think any greater happiness existed than what my wife and queen has brought into my life, but it turns out another blessing has surprised us this week. We are most grateful to announce that the queen’s sister- Lady Mary Boleyn, and my best friend Charles Brandon, The Duke of Suffolk, will be getting married as soon as we return from our honeymoon!”

The court hummed with murmurs of excitement as the news set in. 

Rey held up her goblet of wine as she looked toward the happy couple. “The king and I would like to raise toast to the duke and future duchess! Here’s to many years of love and happiness together!”

All glasses in the room raised simultaneously as the court broke out into cheers of congratulations. 

Mary and Charles beamed at the affirmation they hadn’t expected, raising their glasses as well and sharing a kiss before downing hefty sips. Thankfully Rey noticed Mary appeared to have received the grape juice she’d ordered the servants to serve to her during the feast. She didn’t want her sister’s condition becoming more obvious than she wanted it to be before she was ready for it to be known.

As Rey sipped her wine it was every bit the perfectly balanced, slightly sweet blend she’d chosen to have served for the occasion. As she enjoyed it, a very small part of her couldn’t help but hope she’d get to taste a bland glass of grape juice at some point in the near future.

***** 

Later that evening, Poe was able to slip away from the festivities as the celebrations began to die down. He wasted no time making his way back to the chambers of someone he hadn’t been able to spend nearly enough time with as busy as the royal wedding and coronation had kept him over the past week. 

Bursting into Hux’s bed chamber, the two men were instantly in each other’s arms, kissing with a fierceness of all they’d held back since the last time they’d been able to spend a night together.

Doublets were unlaced and pulled off quickly amid their frenzy of passion. Their undershirts and trousers were all that remained as they eagerly climbed into bed together. 

Poe pulled his shirt off as he straddled over Hux, ready to dive into all the pleasure he’d looked forward to all night. The sight of him was exactly what Hux needed after the very long day he’d had.

As Poe pulled Hux’s shirt open, the sight of fresh bruising just beginning to spread across his lover’s chest made him pause.

“Who did this to you?” Poe asked, immediately concerned. 

“I’ll give you one guess.” Hux sighed. 

“Your bastard of a father, I take it?” 

“None other.”

“And what possessed him to do such a thing?” The fire in Poe’s eyes burned at a fever pitch as he said it. Hux could tell he’d need to calm him down to make sure he didn’t dash off to murder his father in the middle of the night. 

Taking his hand, he did his best to explain the truth of it.

“For some reason earlier today when we all got back from the church and were changing for the evening’s festivities, my father got it in his head I haven’t been paying enough attention to our family’s fortunes lately.” He tried to think of what else there was to say, but there wasn’t much else to it other than that.

Poe stared at him dumbfounded. 

“But your sister just became queen?! Your family is royalty now! What more does the man want?!”

“I don’t know… To be king himself if he had his way.” Hux couldn’t help but roll his eyes as he said it. 

“I wouldn’t say that too loud.” Poe replied, his voice suddenly low. 

“Trust me- I wont.”

Poe sighed in frustration, his heart broken by the sight of the man he loved in pain.

“Is this because of me?” He asked finally finding the courage to bring up something he’d been worrying about

“Of course not!” Hux said adamantly. He hated that something had made him to think to ask that. “You’re the only thing that’s ever gone right in my life.”

“So this has nothing to do with how much we’ve been seeing each other?”

Hux thought about it for a moment. Truth be told his lack of pursuing prospects for a wife to further the family line had been part of his father’s anger at him… but he wasn’t about to let Poe know that. 

Above all, he just wanted to think of a way to put Poe’s mind at ease so they could get back to doing all he’d looked forward to all evening.

“It most certainly is _not ___about you- nor is there _anything ___either of us can do to stop it.” He finally said, leaving it at that.

Poe could tell it was something Hux didn’t want to talk about. He did his best to bury his anger while doing what he knew would bring a smile back to the face of the man he loved. 

“In that case…” He said, planting his hands on either side of him as he gently leaned in for a kiss. “I guess I’d better do all I can to make you feel better.”

“That I won’t say no to.” Hux beamed.

[ ](https://ibb.co/9bc9pyK)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sounds like Rey's attempt to standup for her brother had the opposite effect she'd hoped for. :( Good thing Poe is there to make it all better! 
> 
> Sometimes these chapters are so rich with imagery we get two edits inspired from them. I hope you guys liked them! 
> 
> Of course the shirtless gif of Oscar Isaac as Prince John was just too perfect not to include. *Fans self*
> 
> Up next- time to get ready for a royal honeymoon!

**Author's Note:**

> ❤️Don't forget to water your fanfics! Words of encouragement are what keep inspiration magic flowing. ❤️
> 
> Kudos are always lovely, but what really sets an author's soul on fire is getting a comment that someone is enjoying our work. If you're liking this story and want to see more, make sure to let me know in the comments! I love hearing my readers are enjoying a story every step of the way!
> 
> Need more edits and stories? Say hi on Twitter! 
> 
> [ ](https://ibb.co/1Q2sJVW)  
> 


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